Center Car Show heats up 4th of July celebrations

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Photos by Mechel Meek The annual Center Car Show drew people to downtown Center on July 3. The Fourth of July celebration included vendors and a fireworks show.

CENTER — The Town of Center held its annual Car Show to the delight of the citizens who asked Mayor Tony Garcia to continue the tradition. The original plan was to only hold a Solstice Celebration which was on June 19.

According to Mayor Garcia, “Several people approached me about doing the Car Show on the weekend of the 4th even though people are usually out of town to camp.”

The Car Show was sponsored by Garcia Brothers Racing and was followed by a Fireworks Show at Community Park that was sponsored by local business owners. It was a free event for the community, for which they showed up with passion and a festive attitude. 

Children and Adults were all smiles as they toured the lovingly polished cars. Some cars had stories and props used to highlight their unique features, and their proud owners were nearby to answer questions. 

A Classic 1965 baby blue Ford Thunderbird was a hit with the children who stared at it in delight. 

The Car Show was not limited to just the usual classic cars. All types of entries were welcome, including motorcycles, trucks and muscle cars. 

A dunk tank and the water feature in Casa Blanca Park were filled with people enjoying the hot summer day and inspecting the vehicles. Food vendors supplied a variety of food and cold drinks to the crowd.

A dance contest was organized with the winner receiving a cooler as the prize and the Car Show winners received trophies sponsored by Skyline Potato. The deejay kept the crowds rocking with classic American hits playing all day. 

The Center Police Department blocked off the streets, so there was plenty of room for people to gather and celebrate in block-party style.

As the sun started to set, the mood mellowed, and people moved from the show to Community Park. The anticipation ramped up again as the sun completely set and the fireworks were set ablaze to the delight of all in attendance. 

After the trials of the last year due the COVID-19 pandemic, it was clear that the citizens and businesses of Center were more than ready to get back to normal.