EAST WENATCHEE — Vehicles with plenty of personality are rolling into town for the Classy Chassis Parade & Car Show, which has been going on since 1981.
The parade starts at 6 p.m., May 5, beginning at Grant Road and North Georgia Avenue, and down Grant Road to turn on Valley Mall Parkway, ending officially around 11th Street. Some vehicles continue on to Sunset Highway and disperse from there.
After the parade, a celebration called Dancing in the Street is from 8-10 p.m. at Gateway Park, 88 Ninth St. N.E., East Wenatchee. Clearwater Saloon & Casino hosts a beer garden at Gateway Park, and also booked live music by The Stoney River Band.
Also on Friday from noon to 6 p.m., The Eatery is open with food trucks at Eastmont Community Park at N. Georgia Avenue and Grant Road.
On Saturday, the car show is from noon to 4 p.m. and The Eatery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well. The categories for vehicles include Asian and European vehicles, commercial vehicles, muscle cars, rat rods and trucks.
Trina Elmes, events director of East Wenatchee, said, “We get such a variety, and it’s not always the same vehicles either” with people traveling from all over Washington, as well as Idaho, Oregon and Canada to participate.
As a plus for the kid-friendly event, Peoples Bank is bringing in the actual cars from the 2006 animated Disney film “Cars,” inspired by characters Lightning McQueen and Cruz Ramirez.
A car smashing event is to be a scholarship fundraiser for East Wenatchee Rotary where people can take a sledge hammer to a Chrysler PT Cruiser (drained of liquids with glass removed) for $5 a minute.
This year, Les Schwab is the main sponsor of Classy Chassis. Town Toyota helps with dignitary vehicles, some of which will also appear in the Grand Parade at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
By Jessica Drake
World staff writer
Original article posted April 25, 2023 in the Wenatchee World
Banner image World file photo/Mike Bonnicksen