If you’re searching for a vroom with a view this summer, it’s closer than you think.
The annual Millbrook Classic Car Show returns to the village Saturday, July 8th from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., co-presented by the Millbrook and District Lions Club and the Millbrook Business Improvement Area (BIA) with support from Cavan Monaghan Township.
According to Lion and longtime show co-organizer Andy Stevenson, more than 200 classic vehicles — all at least 25 years old — will line King Street, as well as spill over onto intersecting streets and into the nearby arena parking lot.
And as The Beach Boys sang, if she has her daddy’s car, she might even cruise to the hamburger stand.
“It’s been going on for about 20 years and it’s slowly got bigger and bigger,” says Andy, who himself owns two classic British automobiles — a 1961 Triumph TR3 and an 1965 MGB.
“It’s a big day for all the local merchants. The guys arrive early and many bring their other halves. “While the guys are yakking about engines and stuff, the other halves are saying, ‘OK, this is nice but…’ The stores are all open and they do a good business.”
While this is billed as the 12th annual show, its roots go back to the late 1990s and early 2000s when the Lions held a show on Medd’s Mountain. However, that location was eventually abandoned due the soft ground producing problems.
Come 2006, the show found a new home on King Street in beautiful downtown Millbrook, sponsored by the Millbrook and District Chamber of Commerce with help from the Lions. The following year saw the Millbrook BIA present the show, again with the Lions’ assistance. Since 2008, the Lions have been involved full bore.
Normally held the first Saturday in July, with that being Canada Day this year, organizers decided to hold the show a week later when stores are open.
The show has an enduring appears, both for classic car owners and visitors, explains Lion Linda Hughes who, along with her husband Bill (the newly elected Lions president) is one of the show’s organizers.
“It’s the nostalgia of it all,” Linda says.
“For the younger generation, it’s to be able to look back and see what cars used to be like. For the older generation, it’s to reminisce. ‘Hey, I used to ride in one of those when I was a kid’ or ‘If we had hung onto the Javelin we had when we got married, it would be very popular today.'”
“They’re just neat old cars,” Andy adds, noting classic cars come from across the Kawarthas as well as lakeshore communities such as Bowmanville, Cobourg, Port Hope, and as far away as Kingston.
“They’re all restored within an inch of their lives and there isn’t a speck of dust on them. There are generally two different classic car groups: British cars and North American cars. It’s mainly North American cars in this show, but there are some British models as well.”
Linda says awards will be presented to the top 10 cars as voted on by show attendees. As well, businesses that “go above and beyond” in their support will also be recognized.
And if you arrive hungry, you’re covered. Note only are all the local fooderies open (Pastry Peddler, Madison’s Place, Jule’s Kitchen, Subway, and Bewdley Pizza), but the Millbrook and District Lions food trailer will be on site, while the local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion will be serving breakfast.
Linda adds a DJ will fill the summer air with music, and prizes will be available to win.
Now, fingers are crossed — toes too — for good weather. While the show will still go ahead in the event of rain, Linda says classic car owners are generally reluctant to bring their classic rides out in wet weather.
For more information and updates on the Millbrook Classic Car Show, visit the Facebook event page.
Photos from previous Millbrook Classic Car Shows
All photos courtesy of Millbrook BIA and downtown Millbrook merchants except where noted.
