A&W Root Beer hosts End of Season Car Show on Sunday
All good things must come to an end, and — until next year, at least — that includes A&W Root Beer’s weekly cruise nights.
The Lodi restaurant will host its annual End of Season Car Show on Sunday.
“It’s great for families and kids,” said Peter Knight, who owns A&W in Lodi.
Each year, the restaurant on Lodi Avenue hosts a weekly cruise night on Thursdays, where owners of classic cars, hot rods, custom cars and trucks, and other awesome rides can show them off while enjoying burgers, chili fries and root beer floats.
“I’ve done near a thousand cruise nights since 1993,” Knight said.
But Sunday’s event is a little bigger.
The car show kicks off at 6:30 a.m. with a pancake breakfast hosted by Boy Scout Troop 199. The troop will also hold a flag raising ceremony at 9:30 a.m. to honor the U.S. and veterans.
“We always have a live band,” Knight said.
This year, the blues and jazz group 3 Stones Cry will travel down from Sacramento to perform from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“It’s very laid back. Everybody comes, you get a free raffle ticket,” Knight said.
There will, of course, be the cars — Knight has about 120 entries so far, and expects another 60 or 80 to show up on Sunday and register at the gate. Lodi Avenue will be closed from Stockton Street to Washington Street to accommodate them all.
People who bring cars to show will get a custom Tshirt when they submit their $40 registration fee. Each year, the shirt’s design hides an “Easter egg” of sorts — this year, there will be hat tips to breast cancer awareness and law enforcement officers.
The Lodi Police Department will bring the BATT, the tactical vehicle used by the SWAT team.
“They’re going to let kids climb up in it,” Knight said. “We’re thrilled to have them there.”
One special moment will be held later in the day.
“Every year, it seems like somebody from our group or who has been coming to the cruises passes away,” Knight said.
Most events might honor those people with a moment of silence. Not the End of Season Car Show. Instead, they ask everyone to start up their cars and rev their engines in honor of any lost loved ones who couldn’t attend.
Aside from food and drink purchased inside the restaurant, all of the day’s profits will go to support the Lodi Boy Scout troop.
“That’s a major fundraiser for this particular troop,” Knight said.
The event is kid-friendly, but he asked that families leave their dogs at home. There’s not much for them to do, and the hot pavement and asphalt isn’t good for their paws, he said.