We all know of car shows that have been around for a long time. Hot August Nights, Monterey, and Sacramento Autorama are but a few. Who would have thought that Grass Valley’s Downtown Car show is one of the oldest – getting ready for 37 years worth. Without COVID, it would be 39 years.
Grass Valley’s show owes a large part of its’ success to the Roamin Angels. My recollection is our John Klein worked on Mill St. back in the day. He was involved with the Chamber and City to motivate them to stage the event and involved his fellow Car Nuts to help manage the event. It turned into something great typically attracting some 1500 people and 300 cars.
Born from the show are some real historical products and people.
We featured Charlie Hayward’s art last year at the art exhibit during our Cruisin’the Pines. Charlie loved classics and produced posters for the Grass Valley show as well as many Cruisin’ the Pines shows. Check out a few of them here to stir memories. They were hot items. Many attendees were there for the posters as much as the shows. Charlie has passed but his art is still a hot item.
I remember my first show back a ways now. Brought the Mustang (‘Cuzz the Porsche wasn’t allowed) and wound up sitting next to this guy Ed J. who told me all about this Roamin Angels Car Club. I joined not too long afterwards. That same show, I saw this guy that looked really familiar. He owned the Richfield (Arco) station in Corte Madera (my growin’ up town) that I took my cars for maintenance back in the day when gas stations actually did work. He was in town because the Roamin Angels were helping a newly disabled member and friend of his sell his Classic.
The 37th annual Grass Valley show will happen Saturday, May 4th. We’ve got about 8 volunteers signed up to help check cars in, pick trophy winners, help direct and park and some to man the table and help pump up the 2024 Cruisin’ the Pines. You too can be an ‘Ed J.’! We’ll also have a table to pump up Armed Forces Day at the airport May 18th by some G.E.F.A. volunteers. That show will feature stuff that flies but also classics allowing us another sales opportunity to pump up Cruisin’ the Pines.
Another important component of the show will be the NU and Bear River kids attending. NU and the Auto Shop will bring at least the Race Car to share and maybe even components of the Classic Dodge we helped donate. Bear River has a competition back in Indiana to attend but will make every effort to display some of the “Toys” they have been working on. All Good. All with Roamin Angels’ support. We’ll get them placed near our tables on Mill Street.
Thanks for helping out in advance.
NUHS & BRHS Autoshop projects
