Over 200 cars filled the streets of downtown St. George during the Business Association’s fifth annual Classic Car Show on Sunday, June 28, 2026.
Throughout the event, hundreds of residents and out-of-town visitors took the opportunity to check out the different vintage, antique, classic and newer model entries into this year’s show including a 1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 convertible, a 1965 Pontiac GTO 421 Bobcat, 1940 Dodge D-14, a 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, a 1961 Plymouth Belvedere and a 602 crate sprint car.
John MacAlpine, one of the organizers for the event, said there were plenty of eye-catching machines for car enthusiasts to admire.
“We have everything from Rolls Royces to Lamborghinis, 1927 Ford Hot Rods and all sorts of fun rat rods–you name it,” he said with a smile. “There’s a lot of really nice vehicles out here today.”
As visitors roamed the street, many stopped to chat with vehicle owners about the different special upholstery work, paint jobs, engines, wheels and other modifications, while others swapped stories about their own cars and how they acquired them.
When asked what it was about car shows that draws people in, MacApline said a lot of it has to do with automotive history and fond memories.
“I think there’s a lot of people here today who, when they were younger, had a dream car they wanted,” he said. “Now that they can afford it, it’s a project for them in the wintertime, and they can go out and show it in the summer. It’s an opportunity to visit with friends, talk about the cars and the history, and all those great things. Plus, it’s just really fun to see them all.”
In addition to cars, attendees could also listen to a collection of local musicians.
“We have a really good group of established artists up here on the hill, and then some up and coming artists like Flikity Split and some of the kids from 20 Performing Arts down at the bottom, which is great,” said MacAlpine.
The organizer said one of the benefits of the car show was the boost to local businesses and the community.
“This event is great because it highlights the businesses we have downtown so it really benefits them,” he said. “It works because people get to come out for a beautiful, relaxing day and there’s actually quite a few young people enjoying the show too, so hopefully people will stop by Drongkowski’s for a sandwich or have a nice dinner at the Dragon.”
As the end of the event drew near, the business association later handed out awards for the best in show, the oldest car, best classic, and best modern vehicle. The first 175 people that arrived at the event also received dash plaques.
Overall, MacAlpine said he was happy with the turnout.
“We have over 200 cars here today so it’s been really amazing, and we 100 per cent lucked out on the weather,” he said. “I think every year we grow a little bit more, so it’s nice to see the whole downtown come alive like this with all these beautiful vehicles.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
