Article Text
Downtown Fairfax City will fill with hot rods, classics, motorcycles and modern showpieces during the 26th annual Labor Day Car Show on Monday, Sept. 1.
The rain-or-shine event runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. along University Drive between Sager and Armstrong streets, as well as in nearby parking lots. Admission and parking are free, while tax-deductible donations will be collected for local charities.
Organizers hope to display at least 400 vehicles, topping last year’s turnout of 371. Owners travel from Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and beyond to participate.
The lineup is expected to include 1940s and ’50s hot rods, Mustangs, Corvettes, Ford GTs, Jaguars, Mercedes, Porsches and Bentleys. Trucks, motorcycles, 1920s and ’30s antiques, custom builds and newly released vehicles will also be featured.
Vehicle registration costs $25, and all types are welcome. Advance registrations must be received by Aug. 27. Same-day registration begins at 6 a.m. outside Fire Station 3 at 4081 University Drive.
Show aims to raise another $50,000
The City of Fairfax and Clifton Lions Club jointly organize the volunteer-run event. Over its first 25 years, the show raised more than $750,000 for charity. Organizers expect this year’s edition—the 10th held in Fairfax—to generate another $50,000.
The primary beneficiaries are Cloverleaf Equine Center, formerly the Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program, and Inova’s Life with Cancer program.
Proceeds will also support American Legion Post 177, Main Street Child Development Center, Mended Little Hearts and A Place to Eat, which assists food pantries at all four Fairfax City schools. Donations are also typically made to the city’s fire and police departments.
Because the event has no administrative costs, all money raised goes directly to charitable causes. Funds from Lions Club food sales will likewise support the club’s charities, and volunteers will collect donations at University Drive and Armstrong Street.
Music, food and electronic voting
More than 30 trophies will be presented, with spectators helping select most winners. Awards include Best of Show, Mayor’s Choice, Kids’ Choice, Ladies’ Choice, People’s Choice, Best Motorcycle and Best Truck.
The show will also present the Buddy Morrissette Memorial Trophy, named for a longtime organizer who died in December 2016.
Voting will be conducted electronically. Each competing vehicle will display a QR code that visitors can scan with their phones to choose their favorites.
The Eclectic Company band will perform, while vendor booths and raffles will operate throughout the event. A ceremony at 11:30 a.m. near the fire station will feature the American Legion Post 177 Color Guard, local dignitaries and the National Anthem.
Lions Club volunteers will sell hot dogs, hamburgers and Italian sausage. Ice cream, Italian ice and water will also be available, and several Old Town Fairfax restaurants plan to open during the show.
Co-chair Bill Poole said the event will be successful regardless of whether it reaches its record-setting turnout goal, allowing organizers to continue supporting their chosen charities. Co-chair and City Councilmember Jeff Greenfield described it as a family-friendly gathering where children can discover cars that their grandparents remember owning.
University Drive within the show area will be closed to traffic from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m. Free parking will be available nearby, including in the city’s multilevel garage on University Drive across from the library.