Montesano hosted its annual Historic Car Show on July 15, attracting hundreds of guests and participants with their vehicles to the town.
Car lovers, organizations from across the county and the state, and residents mingled, bought stuff from local craftspeople selling their goods at the Saturday market, and admired automobiles new and old that owners brought out as they vied for prizes in categories such as memorial, people’s choice, and participants choice.
“This is a big weekend,” said Fiona Johnson, who was attending the event.
More than 200 automobiles made appearances from new-built SUVs to a Ford Model A, just a few years short of being a century old. The show donates entry fees toward local charities, including the Montesano Food Bank.
Local and state public safety agencies also participated, including the Montesano Police Department, the Montesano Fire Department and the Washington State Patrol. Some owners brought their cars purely for display, while others came to the annual event, held each year on the third Saturday of July, looking to buy, sell or trade a vehicle.
Vehicle owners capped off the event with a traditional drive-by, stretching from downtown Montesano to Lake Sylvia State Park, metalwork gleaming in the sun of the summer afternoon.
The event occurred at the same time as the weekly Saturday market, held at Fleet Park during the summer months. Sellers brought everything from clothes to food to decorations to knick-knacks as music playing from the speakers — including The Coasters’ “Charlie Brown,” giving the market a festive air.
The Historic Montesano Car Show will be back next July, while the Saturday markets will continue to run each week in Fleet Park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.