July 26 — Goodguys Puyallup car and hot rod show celebrates 20 years

Hot rod show touts family-friendly atmosphere and a multitude of activities

Roxanne Cooke / of the Herald

The Goodguys Pacific Northwest Nationals classic car and hot rod show celebrates its 20th anniversary this month.

The event includes the car show, an automotive swap meet, a vendor exhibit midway, pin stripers, Friday Night drag races at Pacific Raceways in Kent and a multitude of other automotive-themed activities.

Lil’ deuce coupes, hot rod roadsters, lead-sled 50s Mercury customs, 55-57 Chevys, Camaros, Hemi Barracudas, BOSS 409 Mustangs and other timeless cars will fill the entire outdoor acreage of the Puyallup Fair and Expo Center during the show, which takes place the weekend of July 27-29.

To celebrate two successful decades of the event, Puyallup Mayor Michael W. Deal will present the event’s organizers with the Keys to the City and an official proclamation during the opening day.

Last year, the Puyallup show had 2,300 classic cars registered, said George Marten, event director for Puyallup’s show. He expects a similar count for this year.

Throughout the three-day run, the event will pump an estimated $2.5 million into Tacoma/Pierce County, according to a press release.

Event attendance for Goodguys car shows across the country has been up 30 percent this year, said John Drummond, publicity director for the Goodguys Rod and Custom Association.

Drummond expects a large turnout in Puyallup this year as well, he said.

He attributed the success of the car shows to the family-friendly atmosphere and interesting cars that draw people together.

“Classic cars — more than anything else I’ve ever seen — bring out happy emotions in people,” Drummond said.

The show offers entertainment for people of all ages, said Marten, who has helped organize the shows since the start in 1987.

“It’s like the fair with cars,” Marten said. “Most people have a smile on their face.”

Adults can trade automotive parts during the swap meet and children can build a model of a classic car and take it home, for example.

An awards show on Sunday will reveal winners of close to 100 awards, including the car with the lowest roof and the car that was completely built by its owner.

The event will also celebrate the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Ford and the 50th birthday of 1957 model cars, such as the iconic 57 Chevy.

While cars are the main draw of the event, meeting people is also a highlight, said Marten, whose wife tells him his hobby keeps him young.

“It’s a great, great event,” Marten said. “You meet so many neat people.”

The Pacific Northwest Nationals is the 10th of 23 annual hot rod and custom car events promoted and produced by northern California-based Goodguys Rod & Custom Association.

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GOODGUYS 20TH PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONALS

> When: July 27, 28 and 29

> Hours: Friday, July 27 - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 28 - 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 29 - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

> Where: Puyallup Fair and Expo Center, 110 9th Ave. S.W.

> Admission: General, $15; children 7-12, $6. Children 12 and under who attend on Sunday are admitted free, and all children under 6 can attend free as well.

> Parking: Free

> For more information: www.good-guys.com or Goodguys event hotline, 925-838-9876

Reach Reporter Roxanne Cooke at 253-841-2481 ext. 314 or roxanne.cooke@puyallupherald.com.