By all accounts, last weekend’s Show, Shine, Shag & Dine was a success – the perfect fall weather welcomed tens of thousands of people to Vance County and Pam Hester and Norman Dickerson couldn’t be happier.

But they probably are happy that another event is in the rearview mirror, too.

The Vance County Tourism Authority duo spoke Wednesday with John C. Rose on TownTalk to to give a follow-up of all the festivities, which required hours, weeks and months of planning, Hester noted.

Things got underway on Friday with a couple of cruise-ins, one at Satterwhite Point in the afternoon and a second at Charles Bowman’s Southern Classic Cars in downtown Henderson on Friday evening.

Hester estimated more than 200 cars came out to the lake, where lunch was available and a DJ providing music.

“You’d think that it was full,” Hester said, “then a group of cars would leave and another car club would come in.”

Dickerson concurred. “Attendance was excellent – it was one of the largest I can recall seeing in a number of years. Hester said at the height, there were probably 25,000 to 30,000 people on Garnett Street, enjoying food, vendors and, of course, the cars.

“It was packed,” Hester said. “Part of the time it was wall-to-wall people.”

Those who came to downtown Henderson saw a mixture of old, new and new-again events, they said.

One new event was the Jeep Jam, and Hester said 15 Jeeps drove in for the day.

“I think you have to keep the history of the event, but you also have to keep it relevant, and that will make an event stay fresh,” she said.

The Jeep Jam is an example of a new event, and the return of the race cars – more than 16 or so – goes into the “new-again” category.

Comments about the 20^th annual event, on social media posts and personal comments into the tourism office, have been overwhelmingly positive, she said.

The 50-some volunteers, along with collaboration from the city and county and the support of the tourism board, all contributed to the festive atmosphere and how smoothly things ran.

And the support from downtown merchants was unsurpassed, Hester said.

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Ten blocks in downtown Henderson are going to be transformed into a gigantic combination parking lot and entertainment zone for car enthusiasts this weekend when the Show, Shine, Shag & Dine festival gets the green light for all to come and enjoy.

This is the 20^th annual event, and Vance County Tourism Director Pam Hester and a host of others spoke with John C. Rose on Monday’s TownTalk to provide details.

For starters, race cars are coming back to downtown Henderson, and volunteer Danny Stanton said he is very pleased to be able to help with this aspect of the car show.

“I’ve been a drag racer, a car guy, pretty much my whole life,” Stanton said. “We want to get the drag cars back involved,” he said. Drag car owners don’t have to pay a registration fee, he said, since they will not be judged. Just show up Saturday morning at the corner of Rose and Chestnut streets and Stanton and others will help get the cars off their trailers and parked for viewing at Montgomery and Garnett streets.

But the event actually kicks off on Friday morning at 11 a.m. with a cruise-in at Satterwhite Point. Frankie Nobles is catering a barbecue and chicken lunch, with all the trimmings. A second cruise-in will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Charles Bowman’s Southern Classic Cars on Horner Street.

There will be a DJ providing music at each cruise-in, Hester said, adding that there have been up to 150 cars at the lake for the lunchtime event.

Bowman said he’s helped with previous car shows, and he enjoys having folks come in and admire his cars. There are cars for sale there, but that’s not the main reason Bowman participates; rather, he said he wants “to entice people to come to the car show.”

No matter what type of car you prefer, there surely will be something for everyone at this year’s Show, Shine, Shag & Dine. The event is free to the public, and folks can stroll along Garnett Street and beyond to see everything from classic cars to drag racers to Corbitt trucks.

Tom Burleson said the Corbitt Preservation Association will have vehicles on display conveniently located near the Corbitt Museum, which will be open on Saturday for visitors. The winner of the raffle prizes also will be announced during the car show awards, he said.

“We appreciate the exposure that will give us,” he said.

Downtown retailer Gear & Beer is having a Jeep Jam for all those Jeep enthusiasts who want to drive their Jeeps in to the parking lot at the United Way office on South Garnett Street. Jeeps of any type are welcome. And though it’s not a part of the car contest, there will be fun awards given during the Jeep Jam.

McKinley Perkinson is Vance County’s Economic Development Directo and she called this weekend’s event “a huge economic stimulator and driver,” no pun intended.

“An event like this is just amazing for Henderson, especially for our downtown businesses,” Perkinson said.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.

Contact Danny Stanton at 252.432.5544 for all race car information and Carol Terwilliger of Gear & Beer for Jeep signup information at gearandbeernc.com

 

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