BAKERSFIELD, California — It’s Saturday morning the warmth of the sun on my hands and face tells me I am running behind. Driving down State Route 178 toward Kern River Golf Course I marvel at the desert ranches along my path and homes perched on the hills above me. In this desert landscape my Lana Del Rey playlist sets the perfect mood.
As I inch closer to the Chevy Classic Club 39th Annual Car Show at Pyles Boys Camp picnic area finding the cloistered event feels like a treasure hunt. I follow a bright orange Chevrolet Bel Air down a small road and when I begin to see a color spectrum of gleaming classic cars on the horizon I am flushed with excitement.
Browsing through the aisles of classic Chevrolet metal I come across a posse of Ford Mustangs and I am baffled. When I conduct a brief investigation I am informed that it is not necessary to own a classic Chevy in order to participate in this car show. All that is required is a sincere devotion to promoting and preserving classic Chevy cars.
By the time I savor every category of classic beauties in the staging lot I begin to feel hungry and thankfully the Bakersfield City Firefighters are grilling tri-tip. To help support their Burn Foundation Bakersfield Firefighters sell $10 lunches which gets you a tri-tip sandwich, chips, and drink.
For over thirty years Chevy Classic Club of Bakersfield has held their annual car show in October at Pyles Boys Camp picnic area. They have been continuously active since 1976 making it one of the oldest car clubs in Bakersfield.
All makes and models are welcome to enter any of the sixteen categories ranging from “Car 48 & Older” to “Wild Car” preregistration is $30 and an additional five bucks thereafter. The proceeds raised from this event are donated to local charities including Bakersfield City Fire Fighters Burn Foundation, M.A. R. E., Honor Flight Kern County, and Honor Guard Kern County.
There are games, crafts for the kids, raffle drawings for both adult and kid prizes, a K9 demonstration by Bakersfield Police Department, and a slo-drag race. Perhaps the sweetest part is that admission to this car show is free.
My Car Show Favorite: 1967 Chevrolet Camaro
As what is typical of classic car shows there is something for everybody and for me it was this flamin’ hot black 1967 Chevrolet Camaro owned by Chuck Perdue. When I asked Perdue what inspired the flames on his 1000 horsepower Camaro he responded “several years ago I saw a boat in a magazine painted this way and I had to have it on my Camaro.” When Perdue’s rockstar 67′ Camaro is not out for a cruise or at a car show it rests at the showroom floor of Detail Specialists of Bakersfield.
If you couldn’t make it to the car show this year don’t worry there is always next year. In the meantime I invite you to explore the photo gallery below.
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