Hot Summer Nights and Cool Classic Cars

This Sunday, downtown Edmonds will be closed to traffic, but full of cars. The Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 11th annual Classic Car Show, and according to Chris Fleck, the show’s Chariman, they already have a record number of preregistered cars.

“We already have more than 200 preregistered vehicles,” he said. “We may hit a record this year. I think it may have something to do with the 10-day forecast.”

Sunny skies and a mid-80’s forecast will set the perfect stage as hundreds of classic cars line the streets of the downtown Edmonds. All the merchants and restaurants will be open, and the Edmonds Theatre will be playing free cartoons in the morning, a perfect way to start the day for families with children. There will also be a DJ spinning old time rock tunes, and the North Sound Community Church is hosting a free pancake breakfast starting at 9 a.m.

“One really exciting thing happening this year that hasn’t happened before is that we have three top-fueled dragsters that will be in the Dayton Place parking lot,” Fleck commented. “These are historical dragsters from years ago. The engines work but they can’t move; they are a static display. We are going to be firing off the engines at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and they are loud!”

Another feature of the show is the Now and Then display, which in years past has shown an original model of a car, and its current model, side by side. For example, last year there was a 1965 Volkswagen Beetle and its 2010 counterpart. This year they will be featuring Cameros, with models ranging over the 44 years of production.

Falling on the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks brought about discussion as to whether they should switch the date of the show.

“We always do the show on the weekend after Labor Day, and there was some talk about changing it,” Fleck recounted. “Our second car show as on the 1st anniversary of 9/11 and everyone in the country was saying that life must go on, we can’t let [the terrorists] win.”

So instead of changing the show, they are incorporating a special remembrance. The Lions Club is putting flags around town, and the first 250 cars will be given American flags meant for the antenna of their car. At noon there will be a moment of silence followed by some words of remembrance and the singing of the national anthem.

At the end of the afternoon there will be an awards ceremony, including a pick from the mayor and the fire chief.

“It’s just an all around fun day,” said Fleck. “Thousands of people show up, and a sunny day will only make it better,” he paused and laughed. “I’m in charge of the weather every year, and I think I messed up a bit last year, but I’m making up for it with the entire week this year!”

The Edmonds Classic Car Show is free, and will be held in downtown Edmonds from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the awards ceremony at 4:30 p.m.