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Some folks in the Southeast plan their vacation and weekend get-aways around the Hot Nights Cool Rides Car Show.
"A man called me the other day from New Jersey and was coming down for vacation and wanted to check the car show dates first," said Ray Pittman, who was instrumental in organizing the first car show in Forest City 31 years ago.
"It's always the third Saturday in August," he said he reminded the caller.
Pittman handed the responsibility of the car show to others years ago because he got a little burned out and it was time for some "younger folks to take over."
However, his stories of the first show remain fresh.
Pittman recalled the first endeavor to bring classic cars to Forest City.
"The first car show we had 12 cars," Pittman said.
"They were owned by local guys who fixed them up, nothing like the mega dollars spent on cars these days," he said.
Pittman was a member of the Forest City Merchants Association 31 years ago and owned Western Auto, when merchants realized their supported June Jubilees and arts and crafts festivals just weren't successful anymore in bringing people to downtown.
"That kind of system was burning out. People complained we didn't get enough customers," Pittman continued. "I said, 'let's start a car show', to which the merchants responded "Fine, start one," he said he was told.
The rest of the story is monumental.
In Pittman's early days of organizing the car show, the merchants association was totally responsible for expenses. "We made it work" he said.
After a couple of years, the town joined hands with others to help sponsor the show and recoup some of the expenses.
Later, the food court, T-shirts and music became a part of the car show's success.
"Every year a different T-shirt, then trophies, then we had 30 classes of cars. It really started growing, too when we brought in some judges," he said.
Pittman said sponsors would offer monetary gifts to attendees and people could win $50 in gifts.
"This has become a real good community draw from the outside," adding that Hot Rod magazine once featured the show, along with other publications.
Melissa Cantrell is among dozens of Forest City volunteers/merchants looking forward to the 31st year.
"I got involved almost from the beginning. I enjoy being with the people.
"Rutherford County has numerous people involved in investing in all these old cars and I just enjoy getting out there with all the people. Most people are so thankful for this car show. One person told me he enjoys seeing old friends. One told me although he and a friend are in different car classes, 'we can still sit together at the car show'."
Cantrell has always been a visible supporter of the show and counts the days until August 18.
Her husband and son are in the business of restoring cars and she's always enjoyed that facet of their lives.
"I do not regret getting involved, but it's not about me," Pittman said of the first car show. "The merchants made it work. Because of all that, today the proceeds go to a charity or another form of need...They would come in with volunteers, quite a few people that manned all this, and then the carriage rides were stirred up," he said.
Pittman recalled bringing the Night Moves band for many years. "They brought the beach music that really set it off," he said.
Although not hands-on in planning the show, he's thankful to a number of sponsors, the Town of Forest City, Rutherford County Tourism Authority and others for bringing one of the best car shows in the Southeast to Forest City.
Pittman also named the car show.
"I was sitting at home one night trying to think of what we could call the car show.
"Well it was Hot Nights...and they were Cool Rides" and so the show was named.
The 2023 show will be on August 18 and August 19 when more than 400 classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, Model T's, hot rods and other types of vehicles wheel into town for one of the largest car shows in the Southeast. There will be a free Cruise-in Friday night with Ocean Boulevard at the Park on Pavilion Square, plenty of food, fun, and music all day Saturday.
