Family fun found at Montrose Car Show on Sunday.

By Mikaela STONE

The 23rd annual Montrose Car Show zooms into Montrose on Sunday, July 6 alongside the weekly Harvest Market. Roughly 350 muscle cars, hotrods, classic and vintage cars and motorcycles will be on display, which car aficionado Mark Davis describes as the “the babies, the kids, of the people who drive them … their passion.” 

Davis will be taking a souped up ’72 Pontiac Trans Am to Sunday’s show describing it as the car he would have purchased at 16 after getting his license – had he the money. 

He first became interested in cars at age 6, handing tools to his engineer father while he worked on the family car. Now, at 68, he attends the Saturday morning Cars and Coffee meetings at the Regal/UA Theater in La Cañada/Glendale, enjoying the community of “car guys,” a term that encompasses both male and female car enthusiasts – many of whom will be showing their cars off on Sunday. 

While the community is very “age based” with many folks in their 60s liking muscle cars, 70-year-olds liking cars made in the ’50s and those in their 80s being fond of cars from the ’30s, Davis hopes that younger people will appreciate the artistry of the vehicles, too. He considers the Montrose Car Show to be perfect for a family outing as it is both fun and does not cost anything.  

“You can get the kids out and show them cars [and say], ‘Oh, your grandpa had one of those,’” he said. “Being a car guy is an affliction, there is no cure. Once you become a car guy you will die a car guy!” 

If he has his way, that passion will pass on to a new generation. 

As The Montrose Shopping Park Association Event Coordinator, Dale Dawson during his 10 years in that role is passionate about “bringing high quality events to Montrose Shopping Park.” 

What car will he be showing? 

“I use my 2004 Honda Odyssey as a barricade blocker,” Dawson joked. While not a car enthusiast himself, he loves the Montrose Car Show because it brings the neighborhood together. The event is serviced entirely by community volunteers headed by car expert Tom King and his family. Dawson also appreciates how the show draws attention to local small businesses within Montrose. 

The Montrose Car Show can be found in the 2200, 2300 & 2400 blocks of Honolulu Avenue on Sunday beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing until 2 p.m. An award ceremony will take place at 1:15 p.m. Admission is free.