By Chelsea Royer, Chez Photography
Cars of all shapes, sizes, colors and ages lined the main streets of Elma on Saturday, August 1, 2015 for the Heat on the Street Car and Motorcycle Show. The two-day community celebration of cars and history attracted people of all ages and their four legged friends. More than a car show, the festival included food, prizes, vendors, and games taking up several blocks of downtown.
The hustle and bustle of events like these are a reminder that people love an excuse to connect with one another and their community. When better to do so than on a sunny Grays Harbor summer day? The heat didn’t seem to be a deterrent as those showcasing their cars brought their own shade to set up on the sidewalks, excited to talk to as many people as possible about their hobbies. Gerald Peterson even had a photo album with photos of his Buick and the long journey of restoring it.
“It’s a pleasure to drive,” says Gerald. “It took eight years to restore and I’ve owned it for sixteen years. I’ve put a lot of my life into it.” Gerald’s commitment extended to garage-building as he needed a space to build and to store his treasured possession: a 1920’s era Buick Roadster. Sneaking a peek in Gerald’s photo album, his hobby car was barely a rusty frame when he purchased it. “I did everything except the upholstering, paint job and chrome. Now it looks exactly how it would have fresh out of the factory. The technology of the engine is amazing for what they were able to build back then.”
Engines are something Gerald’s car show neighbor has a passion for. Larry Elward is from Rochester and believes old cars are meant to be driven. “I drive my car everywhere,” he says about his 1924 Ford T-Basket. “It has never been on a trailer. What’s the point of having a rig like this if you aren’t going to drive it?” Like Gerald, Larry did all the work on restoring his car but the paint. Larry has lost track of how many cars and trucks he’s had over the years, but has gone through seven cars and three trucks in the last six years. Mostly, Larry loves engines. “I eat, sleep, and breath engines. I’ve been doing this for 50 years,” Larry smiles.
The carshow was a blast even for those who aren’t car enthusiasts. Businesses held sales on some fun items while the Flippin’ Fifties Diner hosted a beer garden. Live music and a hotdog eating contest were also events sponsored by the Flippin’ Fifties. What a great wayt to celebrate summer days.
