One of the most popular activities for Portage County residents during the summer is to enjoy the local car shows. That is something that Anna Maria of Aurora recognized and has added a car show of its own and will hold its 15th annual Charity Car Show beginning on Aug. 17 at 9 a.m.
“We have a good group of individuals at AnnaMaria that helped put this together. It takes a team to be successful, so we are excited and are always happy when it is over because we always have a good show and it is a lot of work to get it put together,” Community Relations Director Evan Webster told The Weekly Villager on July 26.
For the last 14 years, AnnaMaria of Aurora has hosted a charity car show to raise money for the Greater Eastern Ohio Chapter of Alzheimer’s Association, one its most prominent business partners. Leading into the 15th year of the show, AnnaMaria has raised approximately $180,000 in donations. All proceeds collected from the car show are donated directly to the Alzheimer’s Association.
“It has been building each year,” Webster said. “It is huge. Each year the Alzheimer’s Association does a walk and for the past five or six years we have been the top donator in our areas.”
This year’s show will be a special one, as AnnaMaria is celebrating its 60th anniversary this summer. To commemorate this milestone, Webster said the first 100 drivers to attend the car show will receive a t-shirt. He added that other things are in the works.
The car show takes place on the campus of AnnaMaria and is free of charge to the public. To pre-register a car, an applicant must pay a $20 fee and if a driver wishes to register their car on the day of the event, it will cost $25.
As popular a draw as it is to visitors, Webster noted that the residents have also enjoyed taking in the cars, several of them being popular vehicles during their youth.
“They love to be able to get out and cruise the show,” he said. “We generally try to get a golf cart or two to help take residents around because hopefully it is a nice sunny day and a lot of walking. Hopefully, we can help them cruise the show; they enjoy that.”
Most of the proceeds that are raised come from AnnaMaria receiving food from several of its vendors and selling it to the public at the car show. The event usually offers hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream and sponsorship tents for other food vendors to come and sell their product.
The car show will also offer an auction with a variety of items being available, including gift baskets and gift cards from different companies. Webster said there will also be a DJ performing for the entire show.
According to Webster, the most exciting part of the event is the diverse assortment of cars that come. He said about 75% of the cars that are on site have frequently been viewed and the other 25% are first-timers.
Webster said that the collection of vehicles at the car shows has been unique.
“I have seen some retro-fitted type vehicles that I did not know existed. For example, our regular van was made into a truck,” he said. “I have seen some homemade vehicles that look really sharp. I have not seen anything exotic, which I did not know existed, but I did see some vehicles that have changed around to have a different appearance to them which was really kind of neat.”
Although AnnaMaria’s car show takes place on a day where other local car shows are also happening, there has been support from neighboring communities to help AnnaMaria promote the event.
Webster said that the event has already gained a huge following, as the vehicle owners who enter their cars in the show not only hail from Portage County but across the State and even across the Northeast with several cars coming from Western Pennsylvania.
“We get some very mint condition and original automobiles. They come through the show in many circumstances, from all makes and models or as original as possible, which is really nice. It is a good variety,” he said.
