36th annual River Tales Classic Car Show returns to downtown Cape

Classic cars will once again be on display in downtown Cape Girardeau when the 36th annual River Tales Classic Car Show returns on Sunday.

The annual fall event, hosted by the River City Rodders Car Club in conjunction with Old Town Cape and the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, is expected to draw hundreds of classic cars and enthusiasts from across the area to Main Street.

"If the weather holds up, I'm expecting about 250 cars," said Danny Essner, a member of the River City Rodders. "We've had rain the last five years, so we're due not to have any this time around."

Essner said the car show will be representative of past decades, and some of the cars will date as far back as the 1910s.

"There's also going to be some from the '20s," he said. "But the latest models allowed in the show only go up to 2003."

The classic cars will be displayed on Main Street and in the parking lot across from Hutson's Fine Furniture. Registration with a $15 entry fee begins at 8 a.m., and car judging starts at noon. Trophies will be presented to winners of the different vehicle classes at 3 p.m., along with the Rodder's Choice and Old Town Cape's Choice trophies.

Essner said the River City Rodders host the car show every year to promote the old-car hobby and to help the community.

"It gives car owners an opportunity to show off their cars," he said. "But we give away everything we make from the show. One of our biggest beneficiaries is Toybox, which receives bicycles that we buy from the proceeds."

The car show was first held in the parking lot of the Town Plaza shopping center and then in Capaha Park before it was moved downtown in 2007. Nicholle Hinkle, project manager for Old Town Cape, said the car show has an effect on downtown businesses.

"People are sometimes surprised at the number of places to eat and shop downtown," Hinkle said. "The car show has the added benefit of being able to draw people into those places. Even if people don't spend money, they're becoming aware of what downtown Cape has to offer."

Chuck Martin, executive director of the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the car show is more than just a local happening.

"I'm confident in saying that it's more than just a Cape and Jackson thing," Martin said. "People will be bringing cars from all over Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois."

According to Martin, the River Tales Classic Car Show is one of the better car shows the area has to offer.

"The River City Rodders do a great job," he said. "It's a great time to plan on staying the whole weekend. It can make for a great weekend getaway."

The car show comes to Cape Girardeau after the June 25 appearance of vintage cars involved in the 2013 Hemmings Motor News Great Race. Cape Girardeau was named Best Overnight Stop City as a result of the interest and hospitality shown to the racers during their overnight stop.

For more information about the 36th annual River Tales Classic Car Show, contact the River City Rodders at 335-1704 or Old Town Cape at 334-8085, or visit rivertalesclassic.com.

klewis@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

Main Street, Cape Girardeau, MO