Old Schoolhouse Rock Car Show to mark silver anniversary

The Old Schoolhouse Rock Car Show is boasting its silver anniversary this year on Saturday, June 1. 

All that you need to do to find it is to drive along River Street in Superior because the Mineral County Courthouse lawn and TrailWest Bank parking area and grassy lot will have what you are looking for. 

Restored classics, pickups, campers, exotics, rare, hotrods, muscle cars, and possibly some models that went bust after only a couple of years. 

“We started talking about it in 1999 and had the first one in 2000,” explained founding OSRCS member, Gordon Hendrick. 

Along with his wife Vicky and another couple, Jeff and Judy Carlson, the gears were greased. 

“We heard about a car show in Washington, so we went over to it and it was a private event. But we felt it looked good and hired the firm, Customs Northwest Car Club, to sponsor it to see how it went. Well, it was a huge hit, but unfortunately, the car club took our money and ran leaving us high and dry to pay for everything, so we took it on ourselves after that.” 

With their enthusiasm, they recruited like-minded locals to keep it going and growing with entries today coming from all over the Pacific Northwest. 

“We feel it does an awful lot for the community and it’s become a family event with plenty of fun things for the kids to do while everyone walks around looking at the cars,” Hendrick said. 

Depending on the weather, the event attracts between 80 and 120 entries as pre-registration is required but accepted up until 7 a.m., the day it takes place (not recommended, however). Pre-registration closes May 28 and is not required but saves the entrant $5. For late-comers, registration is open till noon on June 1. The Friday evening before, May 31, entrants are invited to join in a cruise with this year’s route going to Alberton for dinner at the Rivers Edge Restaurant.

Over the 25 years, organizing and coordinating has involved different people. 

“I was in the Legislature and didn’t have the time I wanted to commit and then Jeff passed, so the ownership went to the Mineral County Community Foundation, then to Mike Curtin for some years, and now it’s Dan Clemts being the V8 running it,” Hendrick said. 

This year, there will be face painting, a coloring contest, and a small tire-toss for the kids under the TrailWest Bank drive through awning. 

“Linda Vigue has been the driving force behind all of the kid’s events last year and this year,” said Clemts. “I've been helping for the last three years, took a fairly active role last year after being elected Car Club President. Thanks to the groundwork laid down by Mike (Curtin) and others, it's an easy event to put on. My biggest contribution was encouraging the addition of the kids’ activities. This event is not possible without the work of a handful of volunteers who seek out donations, help set up and run the show,” he said.  

Visitors will find at least six different raffle-buckets for prize groups to keep the OSRCS moving to next year. Food trucks and individual organizations and non-profits will be recruiting and selling their own tickets for their own prizes. Local and national vendor booths with glam for your rigs with 50s and 60s All American Rock & Roll throughout the venue for the ambience of the event. 

All volunteers for the day will be wearing yellow T-shirts for easy identification with many of them helping for the day and others that have been on the coordinating committee for the past year. 

Every year, the OSRCS gifts $500 scholarships to seniors who recently graduated from the three high schools in Mineral County who will be announced during the trophy presentation around 3:30 p.m. The trophy presentation itself has many different categories with prizes for the vehicle owners with plenty of whoops and hollers taking place. 

'Registration and more information is on Facebook at OSR Car Show with the parking of the contestants beginning at 8 this Saturday morning.