On the Town: Classic cars rev up enthusiastic crowds
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Over the past three years, the Downtown Burbank Car Classic has become a highly anticipated street festival that, according to Mary Hamzoian, the event’s coordinator and the city’s economic development manager, draws between 10,000 to 12,000 people to San Fernando Boulevard from Magnolia Boulevard to Angeleno Avenue.
For the fourth consecutive year, the event gave thousands of people the opportunity to peruse a Red Carpet Expo that featured celebrity vehicles from the Petersen Automotive Museum and the Television Motion Picture Car Club, custom cars from Burbank-based West Coast Customs and hundreds of restored and pre-1974 vehicles.
PHOTOS: Downtown Burbank Car Classic draws thousands
Along with the car owners, downtown business employees, entertainers, artists, vendors and members of the Burbank Police Department, the day zoomed into downtown under the direction of the City of Burbank, Downtown Burbank Partnership Inc.
Established in 2004 by property and business owners in partnership with the city, the nonprofit organization, chaired by local developer Michael Cusumano, works to create a vibrant and exciting commercial district within the downtown area.
The group, which stages numerous events throughout the year, also works in conjunction with the city to handle capital improvements, maintenance and security issues in the downtown area, as well as employ innovative marketing concepts that have been handled by Robin Faulk, president of Robin Faulk Marketing, since 2001.
Under the direction of Cusumano and the group’s vice chair, J.C. Holt, the core individuals who make this annual event a success include Ted Slaught. Michael Wilford, Norris Agajanian, Frank Gangi, Barbara Holiday, Justin Hess, Jim O’Neil and Jonathan Rubinfeld, with city staff members Ruth Davidson-Guerra, Marissa Minor and Susie Avetisyan.
Along with the chance to get up close to some of the world’s most incredible vehicles, participants at this year’s event also enjoyed performances by the dance band PartyQuake, members of School of Rock Burbank and various street performers and signers.
The day also gives folks the opportunity to meet representatives of downtown businesses, many of whom offered samples of their food and products to those who stopped in for a visit.
This year’s car show also saw Burbank Mayor Bob Frutos peruse and pass judgment on every participating car, giving his thumbs up to a 1967 Corvette Stingray owned by Tom Watts, and the event’s annual Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Motorsports Hall of Famer, film star and drag racer Tommy Ivo.
For more information about upcoming events organized by the Downtown Burbank Partnership, visit its website at dtnbur.com.
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DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.
