Classic car displays replaces Kool April Nites
Don’t be surprised by the number of classic and collector cars expected to ride through Redding starting Saturday.
For one thing it’s not Kool April Nites. For the second year in a row, organizers canceled that ever-popular, official annual car show more than four months ago due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new series of events is taking its place and there’s no cruise on the schedule. Also, one of the largest planned events was still waiting to see if it can get a permit.
From Saturday through April 24, drivers and other car admirers will be traveling to and from more than 25 events that are scheduled during the new eight-day event called Shasta Show & Shines.
Stephanie Croce, who hosts the Facebook group Shasta Saturday Night Cruising, found support for a replacement event right after Kool April Nites was canceled for 2021.
“I run a car group online and we just kind of put it out there, ‘Who’s interested?'” Croce said.
“This is for the community, by the community. All the community members have stepped up to make this happen,” she said. “Everyone is doing it completely separate on their own. Every individual show is being planned and organized by a different organization.”
In a break from tradition, a cruise is not on the schedule. Cruising isn’t allowed in Redding since the city approved an anti-gridlock ordinance in 1992. Kool April Nites did one annually with city permission
“We’re not doing any cruising. That was the big thing when I called the city to run it by them,” Croce said. “Cruising is illegal. We can’t block streets or sidewalks. We’re not doing any of that kind of stuff.”
Where the activity will be
Croce said there’s about two dozen car clubs in the area and she’s heard that many of them are inviting car clubs from out of the area.
“There are other clubs coming from Sacramento and Oregon. There’s different clubs that are definitely coming together,” she said. “There’s a Mini Cooper club coming from Chico. They’re so cute.”
Show and shines, where classic car buffs pop their hoods and display their vehicles to the delight of admiring spectators, are planned outdoors at a variety of restaurants and businesses in Redding, Anderson, Happy Valley and Shasta Lake. There’s a Kool Axe Show at the Timberlords ax-throwing range on Bechelli Lane and the Redding Drag Strip will host a car show and drags.
Croce said one of the bigger happenings to kick off car week is the ION (Impact On Networking) show from 3-7 p.m. this Saturday at Cicada Cantina on Hilltop Drive.
As of Thursday, the Benton Airpark Show and Shine was still up in there. Unlike the other events on private property, the airfield is owned by the city of Redding and special events there require a permit.
Redding City Clerk Pam Mize said the city and the Shasta County Health Department were reviewing the permit sought by Benton Airpark owner Jim Ostrich.
Ostrich’s event is tentatively scheduled for 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 23. The show and shine would take place on a big ramp in front of a hangar with city permission.
Ostrich said he applied for a permit three months ago and still was waiting on a reply about a week before it’s supposed to happen.
“How can I hold it without a permit?” he said Thursday.
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‘Give them a place to go’
Tyler Franklin, who owns P.I.B.B’s (Pizza, Ice Cream, Burgers and Brews) Sports and Family Gathering on Happy Valley Road with wife Crystal, will host a motorcycle show in addition to a car display. Their event is 6-10 p.m. April 22.
Franklin said in addition to spreading fun, his motivation is to promote a return to normalcy amid the pandemic. He said this year’s cancellation of Kool April Nites was “disheartening.”
“Something like this is uplifting that can bring a community back together after so long,” Franklin said. “For me it’s strictly to support our community and give them a place to go to feel normal again.”
Franklin plans to hold a slow motorcycle race. “You have a race, but you’ve got to go the slowest,” he said.
Another fun contest will be a hot-dog bite competition with the motorcycle passenger trying to chomp a hot dog hanging from a string. “They have to go real slow and try to see who can bite the most of the hog dog as they’re going through it,” he said.
Franklin said he has a friend who plans to bring a box trailer filled with 10 video games and screens for kids to play.
Like some of the other show and shines, Franklin will give a portion of his tri-tip sandwich sales to the charity, Alyssa Araiza Wings of Angels.
Croce said a Pacific Gas and Electric employees group is matching donations to Wings of Angels as part of the show and shine charity drive.
“We’re up to $6,800 right now but the week of the event I’m sure we’re going to double that,” Croce said.
Bright’s Engraving and Trophy has event mugs with a portion of sales going to charity and Hella Apparel offers clothing featuring event logos.
Rounding out the event is an after party planned noon to 4 p.m. April 25 at the Fall River Brewery on Eastside Road.
2021 Show & Shine schedule
Go to https://bit.ly/2PZMiRY for event details, car registration
Saturday, April 17
- 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Becca’s Cafe Running On Empty Car Show at Becca’s Café, 2083 Balls Ferry Road, Anderson
- 3 – 7 p.m. 4th Annual ION Car Show at Cicada Cantina, 1691 Hilltop Drive, Redding
Sunday, April 18
- 10 a.m. Kool Axe Show N Shine at Timberlords, 3090 Bechelli Lane, Redding
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Elks Running on Empty Car Show at Redding Elks Lodge, 250 Elk Dr., Redding
- 3:30 p.m. Bailey Motors 4th Annual Show & Shine at Bailey Motors, 2022 Twin View Blvd., Redding. Drive-in movie at dusk.
Monday, April 19
- 3-8 p.m. Cool Show & Shine at Portside Fish and Chips, 1804 Highway 273, Anderson
Tuesday, April 20
- 2-8 p.m. 2021 Show and Shine at Shasta Pizza Co, 1713 Bruce St., Anderson
- 3-8 p.m. 7th Annual Show & Shine at Riverview Golf & Country Club, 4200 Bechelli Lane, Redding
Wednesday, April 21
- 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Karma’s House Of Spirits Show & Shine, 329 Lake Blvd., Redding
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Rumble 5 – 2021 Shine & Show at Paint Mart & Interstate Batteries, 2300 Block Larkspur Lane, Redding
- 3 p.m. Cool April Car Show at Redding Dragstrip, 6750 Old Oregon Trail, Redding. Street legal an T&T at 6 p.m. $10 for spectators, 12 & under free. $40 to race.
- 4-8 p.m. Arnold’s BBQ Show and Shine at 3256 Cascade Blvd., Shasta Lake
Thursday, April 22
- Noon 2021 Classic Car Show and Shine at Pete’s Restaurant at brewhouse, 815 Browning St., Redding
- 4-6 p.m. Red Lion Hotel’s Cool Show at Red Lion, 1830 Hilltop Dr., Redding
- 6-10 p.m. PIBBS Bike and Car Show at PIBBS Sports, 5219 Happy Valley Road, Anderson. All wheels welcome.
Friday, April 23
- 7-11 a.m. TENTATIVE Benton Airpark Show N Shine at Benton Air Center, 2600 Gold St., Redding
- Noon-2 a.m. Tropics Bar Show & Shine Weekend at Tropics Bar, 2555 S. Market St. Redding
- 1 p.m. Yes We CAN Show N Shine. Cruise and Poker Run at R&R Auto Truck Repair, 3165 Twin View Blvd., Shasta Lake
- 2 p.m. Hen House Show and Shine at Hen House, 2621 Hartnell Ave., Redding
- 4-6 p.m. Trucks Only Show N Shine at Cafe Paradisio, 1270 Yuba St., Redding
Saturday, April 24
- Noon TENTATIVE Not So Cool April Nights Car Show at Benton Air Center, 2600 Gold St., Redding
- Noon-5 p.m. Tropics Bar Show & Shine Weekend at Tropics Bar, 2555 S. Market St. Redding
- 3-9 p.m. Show, Shine & Virtual Swap-Meet at No-Cal Rod & Custom, 1691 Zachi Way, Redding
Sunday, April 25
- Noon-4 p.m. After party – Fall River Brewing Co., 4001 Eastside Road, Redding
Mike Chapman is a reporter and photographer for the Record Searchlight in Redding, Calif. His newspaper career spans Yreka and Eureka in Northern California and Bellingham, Wash. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!