Classic and vintage cars come prowling the streets and park downtown Paso Robles
Friday night, Sept. 1 and Saturday, Sept. 2 are the days for the 5th Annual Cruise and Car Show. This is truly a family oriented 2-day event. The parade down Spring Street begins at 6 p.m. on Friday night and takes place from 6th to 23rd streets.
Beginning on Thursday and then all-day Friday, great vintage vehicles cruise into town to the delight of everyone on the sidewalks. Best viewing spots are around The Inn (across from City Park) as it’s become a defacto gathering place for the cars’ owners to get together and catch up on their car-tales. The cruise ‘parade’ is an event of beauty as the vehicles run back and forth from one end of town to the other. Last year there were 325 cars entered and they put on a great show! Best of show was a ’39 Studebaker and the X-Class winner was a ’61 ‘Vette.
Saturday, in the downtown City Park, up close and personal, is the place to be to see these wonderful American memories displaying the USA dominance of automotive engineering in those days. Officially from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. there is a full cadre of classics, custom rigs, woodies, street rods, and VWs along with their owners to tell you about them. Marvelous paint jobs, massive grills, real leather for upholstery, white-wall tires, stick shifts and AM radios. If you’re old enough to remember, it’ll take you back. If you aren’t, they will make you want one on your Christmas list!
Golden State Car Show–Best of Show 2016
It was back in 1986 when Golden State Classics Car Club was started by some local folks who simply wanted to keep the memories of antique motor vehicles alive. The founders also wanted to bring awareness to restoration-knowledge and provide a pathway for folks to learn and become involved in a club setting. The club turned out to provide another Paso reason to bring residents and visitors together. With Paso’s great weather and our picturesque country roads flowing amid vineyards and past ranches, we have the perfect locale for driving the oldies around. As Paso’s recognition and reputation grew, so did the desire for car owners to just want to drive to our pueblo and enjoy the super places to cruise and hang out.
As people wander among the cars in the park, there are plenty of car-stuff vendors, food booths and cars for sale to keep you busy. The event DJ will keep the music upbeat with a surfin’/cruisin’ theme.
An important part of the weekend event and routine donations-gathering is that the funds raised all go to important local organizations. Paso is nothing if not a give-back community. The Cruise has been around long enough so that locals know the club does great community work. With regards to that, sponsors of all ilks donate t-shirts, awards and posters to name a few items. Last year, donations from the Golden State Classics Car Club went to at least 15 worthy causes from our schools’ groups to Scouting, the local museums and out-reach programs. This club is truly involved and committed to Paso.Need more info about any part of the event or the club itself? Visit www.goldenstateclassics.org. Paulette Pahler is club president, 805-459-6711. Shawn VanHorn is club VP and in charge of the event, 805-610-8400.
