The annual Hampton Car Show is set for this Sunday at Bandshell Park, this year to close out the first ever “Cruisin’ & BBQ’n Weekend” in Hampton, and organizers are expecting another big turnout. Everything starts with the classic car cruise on Friday night.
“We line up out of Faith Baptist Church out by the hospital in the s curve there. Line up about 05:30. We leave promptly at 06:00, and it’s about a fifty, fifty five mile cruise. And, we, kinda patronize, Ackley and the Skycone there because Jeff’s so nice to us and comes to our show and stuff, so we we try to help him out there in Ackley. So we go back roads through Hansel and Geneva and and, Faulkner and end up in Ackley. And, from there, we get ice cream and something from there. You can kinda go as you please. We have people that go to Out Falls for supper. They go to Alden. Some come back to Hampton, which would be an incentive, this year because of the cook off.”
That’s Jeff Spear, who, along with his wife Traci, coordinate the cruise and car show, says cars will begin rolling in early Sunday morning for the Car Show, with registration open from 8 to 11 a.m. The show itself runs from 11 until about 3:30, followed by the awards ceremony. There are no classes for awards, but still close to 80 awards will be handed out, including the popular custom trophies designed and built locally at JT Machine in Hampton.
“Well, we we gave up the class thing years ago just because, you know, sometimes if a if a certain vehicle didn’t come, and we had the first three classes, first, second, and third place, you know, we ended up taking trophies back because they weren’t really designated to anybody if if there’s only one or two of that class showed up. Well, now we just do a top 60, and then we do specialty awards. So we’ve given we’re gonna give out, somewhere around close to 80 awards.”
The event has drawn more than 200 vehicles in recent years, ranging from antique models on wooden wheels to high-powered muscle cars and specialty trucks. Live classic rock and roll, 50’s and 60’s style music from The Whitesidewalls, food vendors, kids’ activities, and displays throughout the park will round out the day.
Spear says the growing car show has become a highlight for both participants and visitors, thanks to the setting at Bandshell Park and the strong community support.
