Hat Rod Productions expands to Victoria
A hat maker from Lockhart
and an interest in cars and music spawned a hometown event among friends six years ago. Today the Hot Rod sand Hatters event has become a big attraction for the city of Lockhart and is spreading.
Estimates of the crowd surpass 30,000 for the annual event, which was last held Feb. 4. More than 1,200 cars were featured and the local business community has warmed up to the hot rods roaring into their town each year.
“This time I’ve really lost count, the event was so big people didn’t know where our show stopped or started from
one end of town to the other,” said organizer Joel Gammage. “The entire city became a parking (lot) from end to end of Lockhart for the whole show. We’ve got plans for 2018 to stretch our show across the whole city in 2018 along with commandeering support from the city of Lockhart to utilize additional areas for parking and more shuttle bus services will be provided.”
Apparently other communities have taken notice as well.
Gammage has been receiving calls of interest from other area cities and has been holding car shows in Gonzales as well. Victoria has slated a Hat Rod Productions event in that city on March 11. Expectations are high for this new venture.
“The city of Victoria actually sponsored 10 highway billboards and anxious anticipation of their first annual show with us,” Gamma gesaid.“The first year we’ll cover roughly eight city blocks, much like the first year of the downtown show Hot Rods and Hatters in its earlier days in Lockhart.”
Gamma ges aid he expects 200 to 350 cars in the first show in Victoria. Keeping up the musical tradition of Hat Rod events; the Octanes, Ready Betty and the Phantom Shakers are booked to provide entertainment throughout the event.
The show runs from 8 a.m. to6p .m. (vehicle registration closes at 2 p.m.) March 11 in DeLeon Plaza, 101 N. Main St. in Victoria.