Car show to be held in Willows this weekend

Willows will be going back to the '50s and '60s this weekend when the 23rd annual Willows Car and Bike Show comes to town.

There will be cruising, dancing and a host of other fun downtown Friday night, and more cars on display Saturday in Jensen Park.

Sponsored by the Willows Car and Bike Association, the event is expected to draw between 125 to 150 automobiles from antiques to new custom vehicles and a similar number of motorcycles and motorbikes, according to association secretary Margaret Albiston.

Friday night Butte Street will be closed for a "Show and Shine" event starting at 5 p.m. between Sycamore and Walnut streets, she said. Then the cars and bikes will go cruising the streets of Willows around 7.

"They go through most of the town," Albiston said, adding food vendors and a disc jockey will be downtown as well.

After the cars and bikes cruise, a street dance is scheduled to run until, she said.

Saturday's show starts with a pancake breakfast at 6 a.m. put on by the Willows Rotary Club in the park. Show registration runs from 7 to 10. Most entrants show up the day of the show, said association president Kevin Nelson.

A 72-mile poker run is scheduled that morning, too, with five stops. Albiston said it starts in the park and runs up to Orland, Black Butte Lake, Chrome, Elk Creek, Thunderhill Raceway and back to Willows.

Show entries include everything from Model A Fords to custom street rods and pickups, Albiston said.

Bikes cover everything from antique models to home-built and off-road dirt bikes, she said.

There is even an "under construction' division for both cars and bikes for vehicles being restored.

"It only takes three entries to create a new classification," Albiston said.

Judging starts at 10 a.m. and the awards ceremony is at 3 p.m. with 90 awards to be presented. The event closes at 4.

Games for children like face painting, a bounce house and waterslide are planned in the park's children's area, and 40 or more vendors are expected selling everything from food to birdhouses, toys, clothing and crafts.

Adding to the fun is "Three Dot Drop" where participants can rent a numbered foam car for $5 and potentially win some money.

Albiston said the Willows Fire Department brings its big ladder truck and lifts it up at the park, and the drop cars are put into a big container and carried up to the top. They are then dropped to the ground with those getting closest to the dot winning a prize during the course of three different drops. Valve cover races also are planned on a mock raceway.

Glenn County Supervisor Mike Murray will be the master of ceremonies and proceeds from the show go into a scholarship fund for Glenn County high school graduates who are moving on to vocational and trade schools.

Last year, the association awarded two scholarships of $500 each to area students. It is open to students from Orland, Willows, Elk Creek, Hamilton City and Princeton High schools, Albiston said.

Contact Rick Longley at 934-6800 or rlongley@tcnpress.com.