Visitors can check out classic and custom cars during the three-day Pacific Northwest Nationals at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center. (Good Guys)
Whether you're a fan of vintage fire trucks, muscle cars, Model T's or DeLoreans, if it has wheels, there's probably a local show honoring it. More than just an opportunity for gearheads and collectors to show off their rides, many auto shows also offer food, music and plenty of other entertainment.
Here are a few of the biggest and most interesting shows in the coming months, all of which promise a good time.
Cars of all kinds will line the streets in Issaquah for the Fenders on Front Street Car Show and Cruise in June. (Michael Johnson)
Emergency Vehicle and Professional Car Show
April 10
Triple XXX Root Beer Drive-In, Issaquah
If you find vintage ambulances, classic hearses or World War II-era military tanks fascinating, this is your chance to see vehicles that are rarely spotted on the road. For the first time, the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Professional Car Society is joining forces with the Puget Sound Military Vehicle Collectors Club for a showcase of some unusual vehicles.
Expect to see a "deuce and a half" -- a 2.5-ton, six-wheel truck used in World War II, the Korean War, the Gulf of Tonkin and the early days of the Cold War -- plus classic military jeeps like the ones seen on the TV show "M.A.S.H." There will also be old ambulances that were built on Cadillac chassis before 1979, the year manufacturers switched to a truck base.
The Last Resort Fire Department, a nonprofit that lovingly restores antique fire trucks out of its Ballard garage, has promised a fleet that includes a particularly impressive vintage model with a 100-foot aerial ladder. This show also raises money for a great cause -- all proceeds benefit the Northwest Burn Foundation. triplexrootbeer.com, pnwprocars.com
Fenders on Front Street Car Show and Cruise
June 19
Issaquah
Open to anyone who has a car he or she wants to show off, this auto extravaganza -- traditionally held on Father's Day -- is a great chance to bring the kids and see a staggering variety of vehicles, from classic Model T's to futuristic DeLoreans.
Emceed by Lance Lambert of the syndicated "Vintage Vehicle Show," this year's event will include a Cub Scout pinewood derby race and a hand-pumped railroad car that visitors can ride along its tracks.
Many of the restaurants lining Front Street get into the spirit with outdoor food stands. The Triple XXX Root Beer Drive-In, the area's Ground Zero for auto enthusiasts, runs specials throughout the day.
"There are a lot of car shows throughout the year here," says event co-chair George Naumann. "But this one encapsulates the whole town."
The day ends with an awards presentation at Issaquah's historic Hailstone Feed Store and 1950s-style Shell service station. fendersonfrontstreet.com
Good Guys Rod & Custom Association 24th Pacific Northwest Nationals
July 22-24
Puyallup Fair & Events Center
Head to Puyallup for this three-day hot-rod party that takes over the entire fairgrounds to show off more than 2,500 custom and classic cars built before 1972. The schedule includes a poker run, a model- and pedal-car show, a swap meet, a "TGIF" party and an exhibit where pinstripe artists sell their work on everything from bicycles to toilet seats.
Participants are invited to display their cars in a number of special parking areas with themes such as muscle cars, trick trucks and Canadian cars. There are even parking corrals for custom-car builders younger than 25 years old and people who drive more than 300 miles to get to the show.
The highlight for many, however, is the Friday-night drag race at Pacific Raceways in Kent, the club's largest race of the year. About 300 cars compete at speeds up to 250 miles per hour. pacificnorthwestnats.com
For more car show events, visit the NWautos Event Calendar.
Leave a comment