Classics go on show

Fire up those hot rods and slick back your hair for “Be-Boppin’ in the Park,” Magnolia Park’s first vintage car show and street festival this Saturday in Burbank.

More than 1,000 visitors are expected to view about 200 pre-1972 classic, modified or muscle cars, motorcycles and trucks during the Magnolia Park Partnership event from 3 to 9 p.m. along Magnolia Boulevard.

“We hope the entire community comes out and has a good time,” Magnolia Park Business Improvement District Chairman Ira Lippman said. “We’re closing down the streets and bringing in the live entertainment.”

While the main stage will feature oldies bands Captain Cardiac & The Coronaries and The Alley Cats, the real spotlight will highlight not just the vintage cars but also their owners, such as Burbank resident Gary Meyers and his 1962 Honduras maroon Chevrolet Corvette.

“I’m looking forward to this car show because I grew up right next to Magnolia Boulevard, so it’s my old neighborhood,” Meyers, a retired financial manager, said. “My wife grew up near Ontario Street, so we’ve both watched Magnolia change a lot through the years. But somehow, Burbank still has that hometown atmosphere that’s really enjoyable.”

The car show aims to draw in people like Meyers to visit the “up-andcoming” Magnolia area, said Downtown Burbank Manager Gail Stewart.

“There’s certainly a lot of charm and vintage feel to Magnolia Park,” Stewart said. “We really hope the show will also highlight the new merchants in the surrounding area. The car show and the entertainment lineup will certainly complement the neighborhood and show off the classic charm that’s really unique to Burbank.”

Although the Magnolia Park car show lacks the experience of longer-running street festivals such as Glendale’s Cruise Night, “Be-Boppin’ in the Park” is already creating a buzz from car enthusiasts such as Meyers.

“I remember when the Glendale show started with such a small group just 12 years ago,” Meyers said. “I can’t wait for the Magnolia Park show to take hold like the one in Glendale. I’m sure this festival will do quite well since there’s always a big association with people and their cars.”

Many auto lovers, such as Glendale resident Howard Rosenfeld, will show off their vintage cars that bring them back to their college days.

“I get a lot of people who come up to me and say, ‘I haven’t seen one of those on the road in 30 years,’” said Rosenfeld, who owns a 1969 Datsun 2000 roadster. “I used to have this model back in college, but when I started working, I had to get rid of it. Now, 38 years later, I have the same type of car that looks like it just came out of the showroom.”

After Rosenfeld spent five nights a week for a year working on his car, the sales manager of a steel company said he respects the dedication he sees fellow classic car owners put into their automobiles.

“There’s so much camaraderie at car shows among car owners,” Rosenfeld said. “I like seeing the amount of effort, commitment and creativity people put into their vehicles. These cars are basically moving pieces of artwork or just examples of how bored middle-aged people can be.”