By Joyce LEE, intern

Car lovers in the Crescenta Valley community can add one more item to their list of summer things to do: attend the 13th annual Montrose Car show on Sunday, July 6.

With the addition of an exotic car section to the traditional show of classic cars and hot rods, this year’s exhibit is bound to attract even more car enthusiasts than last year’s 12,000 participants. The exotic car section will include Panteras, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and several race cars.

The display will be between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. along all three blocks of the Montrose Shopping Park – from Verdugo to Las Palmas – as well as parts of Ocean View Boulevard. A farmers-only harvest market will be along Wickham and in the Wickham parking lot.

Car lovers and local residents are encouraged to attend and enjoy a day of eating, shopping, walking and, most importantly, car seeing. The owners of all the cars will be onsite, so guests can ask questions about the prized vehicles. At 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., there will be a “cackling” when the dragsters and race cars will be fired up. At 2:15 p.m., an awards ceremony will begin.

The longstanding tradition of the Montrose car show is attributed to the enthusiasm of local participants. Many of the car owners are members of the Early Rodders of La Cañada, the Road Kings of Burbank, and the Trompers of Eagle Rock. The Montrose Shopping Park Association sponsors the Montrose car show not only to please local enthusiasts but to also attract new people to the area.

“Four years ago, I took over the show from Don Tubbs who was the original leader of the show,” said Dave Maher, coordinator of the Montrose car show. “I wanted to keep the show going and help support my town of Montrose, where I have been a resident for 31 years.”

The display is possible thanks to the five months of hard work by the coordinating crew. Maher is in charge of the hot rod section. Bill Cronkhite and Dwight Sityar are responsible for the classic car section. John Kennedy oversees the exotic car section. Don Tubbs is in charge of the cackle car section. Dave McClelland, the voice of the National Hot Rod Association, will be the announcer throughout the day. Stan Birchall and Mike Niedringhaus are in charge of the sound. Two notable volunteers are Mike Fea and Russ Collins who help during the year and also on the day of the show.

This non-profit car show is by invitation only and participants are asked to pay an entrance fee of $25 to offset the costs associated with the show. In return, the participants will receive a $10 script for MSPA restaurants or shops.

  Dan HOLM, Joyce LEE