Set for Saturday, Sept. 8 in the city’s Main Street Park, it’s the 25th annual Autumn Cruise, put on by the Escalon Lions Club.
Over the last 24 years the Lions Club has been hosting its annual car show that benefits the Lions Club High School Scholarship fund. This show has become one of the better known shows in Northern California, typically drawing over 300 entrants and hundreds more in spectators.
Coordinating the show this year is Lions Club member Mike Powers, who said pre-event sign-ups were going well, with around 250 vehicles pre-registered.
“We also get anywhere from 50 to 100 more entries the day of the event so we should be well over 300 vehicles,” Powers said, noting that they will make room for all entrants.
The show runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and also features a number of vendors, huge raffle, special drawings for participants only, music by DJ Gene Adams and more. Breakfast will be served up by the American Legion, at a cost of $10, and the Lions Club hosts lunch, also a $10 cost.
All proceeds from the car show benefit high school scholarships for Escalon High students.
As the show has grown from just a dozen cars back in 1993 when it started as part of the annual Park Fete celebration, the Lions Club has raised nearly $400,000 that has been given as scholarships to Escalon High School seniors. This is now the Lions Club’s largest fundraiser for the scholarship fund.
This year, three Friday night shows were spaced throughout the summer as ‘pre-cruise’ events and Powers said they all went well.
“We had quite a bit of participation,” he said.
Powers also pointed to the coordination efforts of John Salvin and Bud Andrew as helping the car show to take off, when it moved from the original Park Fete setting to its own separate event downtown.
“We have a huge raffle, we have a special exhibitor’s only drawing, we will offer a commemorative program with some photos from past shows,” Powers said.
Weather should be warm and sunny, perfect for swapping stories and admiring the classics coming to the park for this silver anniversary event.
“We’re looking forward to the show,” Powers said.
