20th Orinda Classic Car Show: Have a Little Fun, Raise a Little Money

    Twenty years ago, Chip Herman bought a 1966 Mustang K Code Convertible, followed quickly by the purchase of a 1967 Shelby GT 500. As he drove around Orinda, he realized that many of his neighbors owned classic cars, but they weren’t the types of people who frequented typical car shows.
    It was then that The Orinda Classic Car Show was born.
    With the guiding principle of “Have a little fun, raise a little money,” Herman approached John Vanek – then a service manager at Orinda Motors – with the idea for a classic car show that would raise funds for local groups.
    “I know every time my car was being serviced at Orinda Motors, people would stop to check it out. So I thought this would be a way to give people a chance to show off their cars and help Orinda Motors grow their classic car business,” said Herman.
    Locals and out-of-towners alike could enjoy the cars and get to know the shop, while also contributing to good causes in Orinda.
    Herman ran the show until 2019, when Bill Waterman took over as chair of the event. The show is now sponsored by The Orinda Association and is the major fundraiser for its Seniors Around Town program, which provides free rides for seniors to doctors’ appointments and errands.
    Today the Orinda Classic Car Show is one of the most beloved traditions in the city, attracting 175-200 classic cars and around 3,500 visitors each year. It is free to attend and drives huge attendance (no pun intended) for all age groups.
    “The show is a big family event, which is different from other high-end shows,” said Bill Criswell, who has been volunteering for several years. “We don’t have a competition. There’s no judging. It’s just a fun time for all ages.”
    For its 20th anniversary, the Classic Car Show features two extraordinary collections.
    The first is a special exhibit of several original Shelby Cobras – a very limited number of which were produced, and which are now worth a million dollars or more apiece. This exhibit is anticipated to be a huge highlight: proud owners from around the country will be pulling into Orinda for the show and then departing the next day for the annual Cobra 1000 driving tour.
    Orinda resident Drew Serb and his daughter, Emily Lambert, traditionally organize the road trip, which follows a different scenic 1,000-mile route each year. In 2014, Serb founded The Cobra Experience museum in Martinez, which displays between 25-30 of the rare cars at a time. Lambert currently runs the museum.
    In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Ford Mustang being introduced at the 1964 World’s Fair, the show will also feature a “Mustang Alley” displaying these iconic automobiles. Its launch was one of the most successful in history, with over one million of the sporty coupes built in 18 months.
    “The Mustang is one of the most notable cars in history and we’re excited to showcase them,” said Waterman.
    But the show is much more than just an exhibit of fancy cars.
    “It’s really a community event,” said Waterman. “At noon the Lamorinda Idol winners perform. We have food trucks and Czech beer, and Loard’s Ice Cream is always there. Another fun thing is we’re raffling off an electric mini Cobra kids’ car.”
    Gorgeous and rare autos, tasty food, plentiful beer and great entertainment promise a good time for young and old.
    “People get to see all the cars up close and talk to the owners and get a little bit of history on their car that they most likely owned for a long period of time,” said Criswell. “They’ll talk your ear off all about their beautiful cars.”
    The Orinda Classic Car Show is Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the northern side of Orinda Village. There are no criteria for entering a car, and a variety of classic, exotic and well-loved cars are welcome. Entries for the car show are due by Sept. 1.
    Head to orindacarshow.com to register your car and we’ll see you there!