Downtown Delaware will be filled with cars, trucks and motorcycles as part of the Vintage Auto Club’s 22nd annual “Blast from the the Past” from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday.
Last year’s show had 640 vehicles on display, from all parts of Ohio, and even a couple from West Virginia.
“It’s a pretty well-known show and it’s liked by the car cruisers, and each year we get some new ones, too,” said Jim Clements of the club’s events committee. About 200 people have already registered their vehicles for 2015, but there’s many who will wait to see what the weather is like before registering from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the day of the show.
“Our show is open to all years, makes and models,” Clements said. “A lot of the downtown shows limit it based on the year, like 1978 or older. But so far, we’ve left ours open because we have quite a few guys with newer Camaros, Challengers, Chargers and Mustangs – they like to show them, too.”
Show sponsors from all over the city and county will get to award plaques to their favorite vehicles, with 110 awards given out.
Proceeds from the show will go to Ohio Health Hospice of Delaware. Since 1993, the Vintage Auto Club has donated more than $228,000 to the hospice from the car show, a spring dance and other events.
“I think we once provided some food to a hospice family, and we were so taken aback by their appreciation that we’ve made them our charity each year since then,” Clements said.
In addition to the hot rods and cycles, there will be raffles; a 50/50 drawing, and awards given out a 5 p.m. in the Corns Building; food vendors, crafts and service booths at the Edwards Gym parking lot; and disc jockeys at different locations along Sandusky Street. The Farmers Market will take place at City Hall as previously scheduled.
Sandusky from Central Avenue to Harrison Street will be closed for the show, as will West Winter Street to the alley next to Bun’s Restaurant, East Winter Street to the city parking lot exit, and Spring Street to NAPA. William Street will remain open.
“Cruisers like downtown shows because there are shops for the wives to go to, restaurants, and it draws a lot of folks to the downtown area spectator-wise, and cruisers like to talk about their cars,” Clements said. “As far as the spectators, they love to come down and see everyone. It’s like a big social event to see all of their friends and neighbors. They like to look at the cars, too. Hopefully it helps out the businesses, and from what I hear, they’re very happy with it.”
This year, Chesrown Chevrolet Buick GMC will have a cruise-in at its dealership on U.S. 23 South from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday to welcome the cruisers. For more information, visit vintageautoclubofdelaware.com.
