Popular Summer Car Shows Are Defined By Local Communities Of Which They Are Part; Saline Is No Exception

The bar is set high for car shows here in southest Michigan.

To the average Jane or John Doe that may mean the North American International Auto Show. But real car guys — correction: Car people! know better. You want to revisit the rich heritage of legacy vehicles as much or more than the prototypes that may hit the streets some day in the future. You love the niche entries and the customizations as much as the main street machines you can only wish you could have driven new. [1]

You may not always get to sit in them or even touch the classics, but there’s no place for constricting museum barriers at local car shows. Got questions about that beauty near the corner of East McKay and Hall Streets? Chances are high that its pink-slip holder can tell you its story in detail, with flourish. Look for a healthy dose of spectacle here, too, from live music to sometimes over-the-top awards ceremonies.

Like clockwork, summer in this area started out with the Cinnamon’s Annual Father’s Day Car Show in Belleville. Greenfield Village held its Motor Muster that same weekend (with contingents from our Saline Cars & Coffee group participating). Closer to home, we had the massive Camaro Superfest 2018 in Ypsilanti. For a more intimate gathering, look for Hot Cars & Cool Treats right her in town at Brecon Village, put on by Huron Valley Corvette Club, scheduled for August 9. [2,3,4,5,6,7]

One thing that distinguishes all of these from inside the barn displays of the Gilmore Car Museum or the halls of Cobo Center. Their signature venues are both integrated with and integral to making the character of these shows. Victory Park in the City of Belleville during Strawberry Festival; Riverside Park in Ypsilanti Depot Town. [8,9,10]

Now it’s our turn.

When the Saline Street Machines car show opens two weeks from this Saturday morning, our downtown area benefits from an event that attracts a different crowd here. It keeps them downtown by intimately engaging them in the variety of automobilies that a show of this calibre draws. And when they post selfies and photographs of their favorites for all on social media to see, the City of Saline is inevitably the backdrop. [11,12]

Earlier this week, Mayor Brian Marl described the Saline Street Machines car show as a “jewel” within Saline’s Summerfest. It’s certainly highlighted on posters promoting the show, and rightly so. At the same time, the car show is a separate entity within that larger celebration and depends on the financial support of its own sponsors to make everything happen.

• Saline Automotive [12]
• Bill Crispin Chevrolet [14]
• Washtenaw Glass [15]
• Mac’s Acadian Seafood [16]
• DB Graphics A2 [17]
• Bill’s Barber Shop [18]
• Steve Steeb Service [19]
• Dan’s Downtown Tavern [20]
• Saline’s Summerfest

Unfortunately, due to a problem with mail delivery at the address on the registration form, some that were sent in may have been returned to their senders. Organizer contact Kevin Latocki has asked that anyone who has experienced this get in touch with him by eMail or bring the returned envelop with postmark on show day to verify your position in the registration priorities. [22]

The Saline Street Machines car show will begin setup and automobile placements around sun-up on Saturday, August 11 at the corner of North Ann Arbor Street and McKay. It will then open to the public at 9:00am, with awards at 3:30pm, and closing at 4:00pm. After thirty-five years here, the most important bar set to top for 2018 is its own.

References

1. North American International Auto Show (home page).
2. Cinnamon’s Annual Father’s Day Car Show (Facebook Page).
3. “Motor Muster” (June 16-17, 2018) The Henry Ford.
4. Saline Cars & Coffee (Facebook Page).
5. Camaro Superfest (home page).
6. Huron Valley Corvette Club (home page).
7. “Brecon Village” Evangelical Homes of Michigan (EHM) Senior Solutions.
8. Gilmore Car Museum (home page).
9. Cobo Center (home page).
10. The Belleville National Strawberry Festival (home page).
11. “There Is Only One Car Show That Literally Stops Traffic On The Streets Of Downtown Saline, And Will Again On August 11” Dell Deaton (June 25, 2018) Saline Journal.
12. “Saline Street Machines Car Show Marks 35th Year (with Local Videos)” Dell Deaton (August 15, 2017) Saline Journal.
13. Saline Automotive (home page).
14. CarQuest Auto Parts (Saline location).
15. Bill Crispin Chevrolet (home page).
16. Washtenaw Glass Company (home page).
17. Mac’s Acadian Seafood Shack (home page).
18. DB Graphics A2 (Facebook Page).
19. Bill’s Barber Shop (Facebook Page).
20. Steve Steeb Service (home page).
21. Dan’s Downtown Tavern (Facebook Page).
22. Saline’s Summerfest (home page).
23. Kevin Latocki can be contacted via eMail under the “klatocki” user name on Gmail.