Getting Ready for the ‘Parade of Cars’

When the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce met in January to start the planning of the Hometown Country Fair, one of the subjects discussed was what would replace the “Legends of Hotrods Forum” that showcased renowned and prominent racing legends since Dave McClelland (the emcee also known as the Voice of the NHRA) retired. It was suggested to make the cars that participate every year in the Hometown Country Fair one of the featured attractions of the Fair. Thus, the “Parade of Cars” was born.

The Early Rodders and the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce have joined forces to make this parade different from the car shows we have seen before. Instead of driving onto the park grounds in the early morning and parking the cars and just leaving them there for the crowd to check out, we have decided to spotlight each vehicle as it enters the Fair in the new “Parade of Cars.”

Cars participating will assemble on Dunsmore Avenue around 10:15 a.m. and then at 11 a.m. the parade begins. Each car entering the fairgrounds will be introduced to the crowd. The public will get a sense of each car, including the way it sounds while moving, and be given a short history about the car.

As vice president of the Chamber and also an Early Rodder, I can tell you that there will be variety of cars that will appeal to everyone. There are “old school hotrods” like Rick Chew’s ’32 deuce coupe, a classic Rolls Royce by Bill Cronkhite that he purchased from actor James Mason, a hotrod by Dave Maher that has won more awards than we have fingers and that also boasts a $15,000 paint job, a hand-built roadster by Ted Schroeder, and a 1970 Mustang owned and worked on by 16-year-old Adora De Leon. Custom cars will be featured including Blake and Sandy’s “Peachy” and “Little Darling” (ask how they got married – what a story). Muscle cars will be there, too, like Dave Zink’s 1967 GTO and Jerry Clelland’s 1964 Plymouth.

I’m telling you, there are a lot of folks within the foothills from Sunland to La Cañada, and Glendale and Burbank, who have such fantastic cars to share and admire just like the Haigwood family – from father to sons – who all have cars to brag about. The total number of automobiles that will be on display are worth in excess of one million dollars!

This Parade of Cars is free for the public to see. So come and enjoy the sights and sounds of thundering machines going by!

The Rosemont Middle School Spartan cheerleaders and the Prom Plus Club kids will serve as ushers – what a great show!

Dwight Sityar, Vice President
Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce

  Dwight Sityar