Car Tunes rolling back into Findlay

FINDLAY — Cars ranging from classics to hot rods will line South Main Street Saturday for the annual Car Tunes on Main show. The event is open to any vehicle that chooses to enter, according to event Chairperson Lorie Reid. "We're all there to appreciate the cars. Whether they put a lot of work into it or they paid somebody to fix it for them, everybody's proud of what they're driving. They want to bring it, show it and share it," she said. Car Tunes on Main will be held rain or shine from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday in downtown Findlay. Hosted by the Flag City Corvette Club, this year marks the event's 20th anniversary. "This is a car show, not a cruising event," said Reid. "You park your cars, people walk around them and see them." Reid said the show is not linked to the City of Findlay in anyway. "The city donates the use of the street, the use of police presence at the event and the use of electricity. It's all donated free of charge. We pay nothing to the City of Findlay. This is all a charity event," Reid said. All proceeds support Open Arm Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center. The agency has been the fundraising recipient since the event began, she said. "We're huge supporters of theirs," she said. "Last year this one event was able to give them a check for $11,000." The money comes from local business sponsors, entry fees and donations by club members, she explained. Reid said a new class was added this year which allows semi-trucks to enter. "All your local truck drivers that have nowhere to show off their fancy truck can bring it down and for $15. They can show off their truck right along with the rest of the cars," she said. "The trucking community has really embraced this. We have several large donors from local trucking companies." The semis even have their own set of trophies for first, second and third places, she said. Vehicle owners can register anytime after 8 a.m. Saturday at the corner of East and East Main Cross streets. The fee is $15. The cars will then be funneled down to Main Street from Front to Lincoln streets, she said. Main Street will be blocked along with some of the side streets to allow for parking of all the different vehicles. The show is free for spectators. Three food trucks will be parked at the show, including Pull Up and Grill, Rosalia's Mexican Kitchen and Kona Ice. Reid said the downtown restaurants will also be open for lunch business. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and a basket raffle with prizes like four tickets to a Mud Hens game to a night's stay at the Hancock Hotel with breakfast for two the next morning. One ticket is $1, seven are $5, and 20 tickets for $10. Raffle tickets can be purchased in front of the courthouse. Winners will be announced by 3:30p.m. Saturday. Musical tunes throughout the show will be provided by T-Town Mobile DJ, Tiffin. Since the corvette club hosts the event, all of the members are volunteers "They put a lot of work into this, said Reid. "No club members, no matter what kind of vehicle they own, whether its a corvette, a Ford, whatever it is, no club member is eligible to win anything at this event," she said. "It's all about the public. That's a big misconception. a lot of people think that we favor our buddies." Club members cars are vehicles for display. They pay to display their cars," said Reid. She and her husband, Ryan, plan to bring their 2015 corvette convertible with them. The silver sports car has red interior. Awards will be given for different car classes and models. Reid said she works on the show for about nine months with help from Ryan. "A lot of these places around town really support us," she said. "That's why we like to have it downtown so the community can see that downtown supports charity and we should support downtown." Major sponsors include LaRiche Chevrolet Cadillac; Pete's Performance and Chrome, Upper Sandusky; R&L Transport; Ohio Logistics; UPS Store; Culvers; and Key Ads. Overall the show averages around 200 cars, she said. "Back in the day, they used to do a lot more stuff with this car show. They used to have it linked to United Way and the barbecue (Rib-Off on Broadway) that was downtown," said Reid. "Different events have fallen off, but the car show has remained."