You really auto be here
Stop, look and listen as car shows collide in Lincoln City
By Gretchen Ammerman
Oregon Coast TODAY
Get your eyes, ears and taste buds ready for a weekend of classic cars, modern audio and local foods and brews, as Lincoln City gets all revved up for a weekend of fun fund-raisers.
The weekend kicks off with the Old School Cruise-In on Friday, Aug. 21, at the Lincoln City Cultural Center from 4 to 7 pm. Check out some painstakingly restored cars as they vie for prizes in categories like “People’s Choice” and “Best Truck,” all while enjoying the classic tunes provided by Sitka, a four-piece group that specializes in hits from the ’60s and ’70s, in a style they call “non-metro retro.”
Named after the big, old and deeply-rooted Sitka tree, the band plays “interpretations of popular classics topped with tasty jams,” and cites influences like Van Morrison, John Hiatt, Wilson Pickett and The Grateful Dead, but might surprise you by throwing in the occasional song by Alice Cooper, Roger Miller or The Strawberry Alarm Clock.
Don’t forget to bring your appetite, as vendor Danny Ahumada will bring his Mexican street food cart Calle. You can wash down his authentic and tasty tacos at the beer garden, serving up locally made craft brews from Rusty Truck Brewing, who will no doubt be representing with at least one of their fleet of classic restored trucks, which includes a 1966 Chevy Suburban and a 1958 Chevrolet Viking 40 pickup.
All proceeds from car show registration, concessions and donations will go toward children’s programs at the cultural center.
Ready for more? On Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22 and 23, Chinook Winds Casino Resort is welcoming back the 20th Annual Surf City Classic Car Show and SoundOff.
“Day one is all classic cars, trucks and motorcycles,” said Public Relations Manager Heather Hatton. “Day two is the car audio competition.”
The sound will definitely be on for the SoundOff competition, which rewards the loudest car audio competitors, but also the best sound quality.
“Most of the people that come to it are already interested in stereos,” said Marketing Manager Scott Macrea “But if you are an audiophile or are interested in getting that concert or at-home sound in your vehicle, this is a great way to find out what’s possible. These people are more than willing to have people come sit in their cars and experience the sound.”
Most competitors take part in local contests all over the country to accrue points towards national-level competition. Each year, the top vehicles in each class are invited to participate at the dB Drag Racing World Finals.
“We’ve had people come from as far as Kentucky and many from all over the PNW and Nevada,” Macrea said. “This is the second-largest event in the nation of its kind.”
This is also one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for Angels Anonymous, an organization that provides one-time grants to assist local residents with basic, immediate needs and which has had to cancel many of its annual fund-raising activities because of the pandemic.
“This is a big weekend for the angels,” Hatton said. “They are missing out on a lot of fundraisers this year, so this event is critical to support their important mission.”
Organizers say the fund-raising nature of the SoundOff event helps neighbors put up with one day of noise.
“It helps us ease some of the tensions in the community that we raise so much for the angels,” Macrea said. “Last year the whole event brought in about $12,000, and $10,000 of that was from the audio show. The car manufacturers donate really great, high-value items for the raffle; so that’s how we raise so much more from that event.”
Hatton added that sponsors and participants aren’t quiet about their support of the event and trying to continue to make it a positive one each year.
“We have found the participants and sponsors so respectful and so giving, and they are really invested in the support of the Angels,” she said. “They put a lot of time and finances into the quality of their audio systems. It’s just like a classic car, you put a lot of effort into the car and now you get a chance to show it off.”
The event will look a little different this year in order to keep the team, visitors, vendors and show participants safe. Social distancing queues and masks will be strongly encouraged while viewing cars, standing in lines and when not eating or drinking.
“All of our judges, team members, staff and volunteers will be wearing masks,” Hatton said. “We will be strongly encouraging participants to do it, too; but we are going to let the participants decide how they are going to protect themselves and others.”
There will also be no beer garden this year to help discourage gathering, but the weekend will include vendors of food and car-related items and music provided by DJ Ultrasonic.
The show takes place in the parking area of the casino, and will include classes for every type of vehicle from muscle cars, trucks, motorcycles and imports including best-of awards.
Admission is free for all events.
Registration for the Old School Cruise-In, $10 advance or $15 on day of show, is available at lincolncityculturalcenter.thundertix.com.
Registration for Surf City Classic Car Show and Sound Off, $10, includes a t-shirt, custom mask and $5 in free slot play. For details, go to www.chinookwindscasino.com or call 1-888-6665 or 541-996-5825.
Surf City & SoundOff Schedule
Saturday, Aug. 22
Surf City viewing hours 11 am-4 pm
Vehicle Registration 10 am-noon
Music (DJ Metal) 11 am-2:30 pm
Surf City Judging 11 am-2 pm
Concessions 10 am-3 pm
Winners announced 4 pm
Sunday, Aug. 23
Concessions 10 am-3 pm
SoundOff Registration (Lower Parking Lot) 8-10 am
SoundOff Judging Starts at 10 am