Despite the threat of thunderstorms, close to 150 cars filled the streets of St. George’s downtown area for the Business Association’s third annual Classic Car Show on Sunday, June 23, 2024.
“The first year we held this, we had about 150 cars sign up and last year we had around 240, which blew me away. This year, we started a bit late because of the rain and I thought ‘we’ll put it on anyway and if we only have 20 cars or 30 cars, I’ll be happy with that,’” said John MacAlpine, event organizer and county councillor. “Despite the weather we’ve still had around 150 cars come out today which is incredible and it’s just great to have everybody out supporting the community and the businesses.”
Throughout the event, several hundred residents took the opportunity to admire the different vintage, antique, classic and newer model entries into this year’s show including a 1965 Plymouth Sport Fury, a 1949 MG YT 4-Seat Tourer, a 1965 Ford Mustang, and a 1948 International K-3.
MacAlpine that while there are plenty of car shows in the region, the St. George car show often stands out because of the variety of cars on display.
“I think the unique thing about this show is the variety of cars,” he said. “There are many shows that will only do MG cars or just Mustang shows but this one really has everything and anything.”
Many visitors stopped to chat with the various vehicle owners about their paint jobs, upholstery work, engines, wheels and a number of other unique details.
“I think there’s so many things that draw people in with these cars; They’re just beautiful vehicles to look at and there’s that history and the art behind them,” said MacAlpine. “The people who own these vehicles put so much work into keeping them in shape or upgrading and replacing parts and when you get into some of these really high-end classic cars, they’re literally counting the rivets. It’s just amazing the amount of love people put into these 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.
