The 13th Annual Garden City River Rod Run, slated for Friday and Saturday, June 28 & 29, will feature over 200 classic and hot rod cars and will attract nearly 3,000 spectators to Downtown Missoula.
The theme this year is “Orphan Cars,” celebrating makes and models no longer in production. The Missoula Downtown Association is excited to feature several specialty cars, including a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 and a 1966 Mercury Comet.
A show and shine will take place Friday evening 5-9 pm, while attendees enjoy the live music of local band Zoo City. Highlighting the weekend’s festivities is the Friday Night Cruisin’ Parade on Higgins Avenue from 9-10 pm.
Admission to the Garden City River Rod Run is free to spectators. Participants can register cars in the show and parade for $30 until June 15 and $35 thereafter. Additional car registrations are $10. A show and shine will take place Saturday 11am-4pm. Throughout the event, a variety of food and beverages will be available for purchase from a wide range of vendors, as well as a beer garden serving a selection of spirits. The weekend’s award presentation will be on Saturday at 3pm at Caras Park, featuring 15 special interest awards and the Best of Show trophy.
“This event is unlike anything else we have Downtown,” said Marty Bourassa, chair of the committee organizing the event. “We will have cars coming for this event from all over the Northwest. Last year’s winner drove all the way from Oregon. The best part of the show is the parade on Friday night. No other car show in the region closes down their main street for an hour to let 220+ car enthusiasts show off the cars they spend so much time on.”
The Garden City River Rod Run is produced by the Missoula Downtown Association in partnership with Cherry Creek Radio. Questions regarding the Garden City River Rod Run can be directed to the Missoula Downtown Association at 543-4238 or mda@missouladowntown.com.