Car shows are one of the most enjoyable aspects of summer. There is nothing like sitting next to your antique car on a warm summer evening and chatting up other people with similar automotive interests. COVID-19 is probably going to force a lot of the annual car shows to postpone until summer of 2021. This has been a big disappointment for those who enter their cars in the show as well as the people that organize the shows. Fortunately, there is a new way to still have a classic car show in the age of coronavirus. Enthusiasts are now turning to classic car parades instead. This week’s article will be on how to organize a summer car parade.

You’ll have to of course get permission from your city or town hall to have the parade. Streets often have to be shut down for the parade to get through safely. Make sure you have a plan written down before you head to the proper officials for permission. Your plan should include, number of cars, date and time of the parade, the route you would like the cars to drive along, and whether you’ll have an entry fee. You may have to purchase a liability insurance policy event so be sure to clarify when you are showing the official your plan.

After you have approval, you’ll want to start getting the word out. A good first step is to reach out to local car clubs. You can call them or just mail a flyer with the parade information on it. Make sure the flyer contains the rules and regulations drivers must abide by in the parade. You can also reach out to local organizations such as the chamber of commerce to have them spread the word to members. Local automotive repair and parts shops are likely to want to post your flyer in their window. Putting the event on social media is great way to get free exposure too.

Having a charitable aspect to your car parade never hurts. If the purpose of the parade is to drive by your local hospital, then consider asking entrants for a small that can be donated to the hospital. The entrance does not have to be mandatory but participants may want to see that the parade has charitable purpose. There have actually been several parades this year that have driven by the houses of children with birthdays and those who have lost their parents to Coronavirus.

Drivers in the parades have also been decorating their vehicles for the parades. This is all up to the car’s owner who may not want anything sticking to the paint. A few simple streamers attached to the antenna might be good enough. If you have passengers in the car, you can have them hold signs outside their window. If you have kids or grandkids, making the sign can be a fun and exciting activity for them. Just make sure none of the signs or decorations obscure your vision.