The Rotary Club of Emerald and District celebrated a major milestone on Sunday 22 February, hosting its 30th annual car show. The Gembrook Classic and Custom Car Show and Swap Meet at the Gembrook Recreation Reserve was a huge success and a new venture for the club replacing what had previously been known as ‘The All American’.
This year marked an exciting evolution for the much-loved event with the gates opened for the first time to a broader range of vehicles, including pre-1990 classic, custom, vintage, veteran and hot rod cars. More than 300 vehicles were on display, each immaculately presented and gleaming, despite forecasts of impending rain.
The Rotary Club of Emerald and District is grateful for the support of the Gembrook Cricket Club for the use of the oval, the Rotary Club of Belgrave who manned the barbecue and the local Scouts group who coordinated the public parking.
The Club is especially appreciative of the popular automotive identity “Mr Excited”, who generously supported the event and served as the primary judge of the vehicles. A wide range of awards were presented, recognising the outstanding quality and diversity of vehicles on show.
Prize winners included:
– Rotary President’s Choice: Ron Ryan
– Best Classic: Adrian Slode
– Best Custom: Joe Lamendola
– Best Original: James Creswell
– Best Hot Rod: Peter Hariton
– Mr Excited’s Award: Ian Martin
– Rockabilly Award: Bev Green
Adding to the festive atmosphere, local band ‘Rustbucket’ entertained the crowd with a lively couple of sets that kept spectators engaged throughout the day and the many food vendors and swap meet stalls made for a complete family day out.
The success of the event was made possible through the generous support of sponsors Angrave Engineering, JBO Engineering, EM Automotive, OrgMent Business Solutions, Shannons Insurance and United Panels Pakenham.
Members of the Rotary Club of Emerald and District take great pride in this annual fundraising event, which helps support local organisations, community projects and those in need.
With growing interest from car enthusiasts, the club is already looking ahead to expanding the event’s reach across the local area and greater Melbourne next year.
