Winter Garden car show returns

We all have our favorite classic car songs — whether it’s the Beach Boys and their “Little Deuce Coupe,” Janis Joplin and her “Mercedes Benz,” Neil Young and his “TransAm” or Prince and his “Little Red Corvette.”

Folks can check out dozens of classic cars and find their favorites Saturday, Sept. 17, when the Winter Garden Cruz-In Car Show returns to downtown Plant Street.

Jen Johnston, disc jockey with WJBJ Cruisin’ with the Classics, will take her familiar spot behind the microphone to help celebrate the car show’s seventh anniversary.

“We know people are looking forward to having cruisers back on Plant Street, and we are excited to have the invitation to bring classic cars to the most beautiful backdrop of our amazing city of Winter Garden,” Johnston said.

Among the participants are Sam Metro, president of Classic Irons Car Club, who is showing his red and white 1958 Chevrolet panel truck, and Steve Marbais, who is taking his wife’s deep purple 1964 Ford Country Squire wood-grain wagon and his daughter’s seafoam green 1981 F-100 Ford truck.

Metro has been showing in Winter Garden since the car show began seven years ago, but he has been into cars and hot-rodding all his life.

“I think my first toy was a Hot Wheels,” he said. “And I probably still have it.”

He enjoys the local car show because of the ambience, music and friendships.

“When you have the right architecture and the right cars, it’s a perfect combination,” Metro said.

Marbais, too, has been showing in Winter Garden since the event’s start, and he has been involved in the car show during the Ocoee Founders’ Day for 17 years.

The event in downtown Winter Garden is known for its camaraderie among the vehicle owners and attendees, which is what draws Marbais downtown. In addition to showing the two vehicles, he is volunteering that afternoon and typically sponsors a trophy for each show through Marbais Enterprises.

“It's clear Winter Garden loves classic cars and our cruisers enjoy what the merchants offer,” Johnston said. “Many merchants have developed long lasting relationships because of the car event, whether it's a mechanic or body shop, ice cream or popcorn shop, pizza place or restaurant.”

Johnston said she is grateful to Mike and Patti Brankert, from Mike and Mechanic, for their ongoing dedication to the show and the work they do behind the scenes and on the ground at the event.

Organizers are asking participants and attendees to take cases of water to be donated to Winter Garden’s first responders. They can be dropped off at the WJBJ sound trailer at the corner of South Boyd and Plant streets.

To commemorate the anniversary, special T-shirts have been designed and printed by Ray Graphics. These will be given to car owners through drawings and can also be purchased for $10.

The car show will return to Plant Street on the third Saturday of January, April, June and September 2017.

Contact Amy Quesinberry Rhode at [email protected].