7th annual Park in the Park Antique Car Show rides into town
After former teacher Bob McCary drove his ’42 Packard sedan to the Children’s of Alabama hospital a few years ago to cheer up some of the sick children, he said he’s happy his street car collection is still making an impact in the Avondale community.
From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 16, about 200 antique, collectible and new cars will be displayed along Avondale Park and the lakefront for the seventh annual Park in the Park Antique Car Show.
“It is a family-friendly event where a lot of people come in close vicinity to very fun cars — while also supporting a good cause,” said Marco Morosini, one of the event coordinators and supporters.
The free event is organized by Forest Park South Avondale, a local merchant group, in cooperation with the city of Birmingham. There will be food and a DJ, as well as a large shade tent by the lake with chairs provided for the lunch crowd.
“The community just loves it now,” McCary said. “I was a Birmingham teacher for 30 years. I wanted to do something else for a good cause for the kids.”
When McCary asked a hospital worker all those years ago what he could do to help the children, she put him in touch with the main event organizer Richard Steward, who began to work with McCary to make an event that now attracts more than 3,000 people.
The profits collected from the car show are divided up for several causes, all focusing on making children’s lives better. One company, Magic Moments, is a statewide organization that fulfills non-medical wishes for chronically ill Alabama children.
Another company, Nightlights, helps local children who are abused, neglected or at risk. Some of the money also goes to local elementary schools for funding suppers for children and their parents, more library books and new computers.
The first antique car show started with the intention to combine a good cause with a way of attracting outsiders to the Avondale area. Since then, Stewart said that he’s seen a huge spike in foot traffic for the community. In recent years, Avondale also has featured an annual Christmas craft bazaar, Orchestras in the Park and the Movies at Avondale Park series.
“It’s really, really turned around like we wanted it to,” Stewart said.
Instead of only giving out five trophies this year, the Park in the Park Antique Car Show will be giving each of its car-holder participants a chance to take an envelope “leaf” off its $5,000 money tree, with each envelope containing up to $100. Stewart said the money tree is a better way to thank participants for showcasing their cars for a good cause other than a few trophies.