Get your motor running to Orchard Beach.
A throng of car buffs, vendors and special guests will assemble on Sunday, September 16 at the beach’s colossal parking lot for the 12th Annual Classic Car and Motorcycle Show.
For $10, Bronxites and beyond can snap pictures and check under the hood of some 2,500 pristine vehicle and motorcycle models from around the tri-state area.
From vintage cars, souped-up hogs and rare rides, locals will be impressed by the avenue of cars, said show organizers.
“It is the biggest one-day car show on the East Coast,” boasted lead organizer John Monsolino, grateful to receive plenty of help from the city Parks Department of dozens of volunteers.
DJ Serg and DJ Jerry “Wolfman” Burst will set the soundtrack for the daylong vehicle venue, hosted by WCBS-FM’s Joe Causi and sponsored by Eastcoast Classic Car Association.
Other musical talents include R&B group The Rhythm Makers.
Celebrities will also tour the grounds, including World Wrestling Entertainment legends, Bronx-bred actor Vincent Pastore of “The Sopranos” fame, Crazy Horse All Stars and the cast of the TV show “Carfellas.”
While locals browse the sea of classics, they can also stop by several booths to chow down some food, try on jewelry and search for auto parts.
But behind the festive vibe for Saturday’s event lies a serious cause – raising money for families of fallen 9/11 first responders.
Like every year, the show’s proceeds will go towards the Widows and Orphans of 9/11 Fund and two children’s charities.
The turmoil of 9/11 holds a special meaning for founder and retired NYPD highway patrolman Joe Caldwell, who started the car show after the attacks. Monsolino, a retired highway worker for the city’s Department of Transportation, joined a few years later.
The pair witnessed the destruction at Ground Zero firsthand, spending months in the trenches of The Pile during the recovery efforts.
Their work to mend the heartache from families stretched beyond the rubble – they simply wanted to help.
In keeping with the memory of 9/11 victims, motorcyclists will once again ride down to the World Trade Center from Orchard Beach for the Ground Zero Motorcycle Run at 11:30 a.m.
The NYPD’s Highway 1 will lead several hundred cyclists in the commemorative ride where they’ll loop back to the beach.
The show runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with general admission tickets going for $10 and $20 per car entered. It will be an extra $10 for anyone taking part in the motorcycle run. The rain date for the show is Sunday, September 23.
To learn more about the show go to orchardbeachcarshow.com.
Reach reporter David Cruz at 718-742-3383 or dcruz@cnglocal.com.
David Cruz can be reach via e-mail at DCruz@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 742-3383
