Take a trip down to the classic-style Main Street in Clawson, Michigan, this coming Saturday afternoon (August 14) and check out my favorite classic car show of the season, the 12th Annual Down On Main Street Car Show.

Clawson closes the half-mile stretch of Main Street between Normandy (13 1/2 Mile) and Fourteen Mile Road, creating an outdoor showroom for hundreds of classics that can include cars, trucks, and other vintage vehicles like trailers, snowmobiles, boats, or any other type of historic transportation you might imagine.
While anticipation builds all year for the Woodward Dream Cruise, an event that can draw a million visitors to metro Detroit each August, Clawson's show strikes me as a more enjoyable way to actually see and fully appreciate some great vintage vehicles. The fact that the Clawson car show occurs the week prior to the official Woodward cruise each year also makes it a great preview for Dream Cruise fans anxiously anticipating the Woodward event.

The Down on Main Street show, presented by the Clawson Lions Club with assistance from the Clawson-based United Street Machine Association, draws hundreds of show vehicles. Show organizers review the entries, awarding trophies in Choice, Outstanding, and Best Show categories.
The small-town and family-friendly-street-party vibe makes Down on Main Street a more relaxed alternative to the larger event out on Woodward. You're also far more likely to be able to chat with the cars' owners or check out their photo albums showing their vehicles' restoration.

The angle parking arrangement of vintage vehicles along both sides of the closed road creates a broad concourse where spectators can check out the show vehicles without the crush of crowds the Woodward event generates--making it easier to take photos, too!
I like the ability to zoom in on details like pristine whitewalls, fancy chrome hood ornaments, and some kitschy and fun adornments like the car tray attached to a vintage police car I spotted one year.

Admission to the Clawson show is free, while proceeds from the show vehicle entry fees benefit Leader Dogs for the Blind and other charitable projects supported by the Clawson Lions Club.
There are usually several food stands located along the show route, and Clawson's recently re-energized downtown offers plenty of dining options from a classic root beer float at A&W to a number of sit-down dining choices along the way and well within walking distance of the show route.
I really missed this show last year when pouring rain dampened everyone's spirits and kept both spectators and crowds away--well, maybe except a few hardy souls with umbrellas and one lone photographer getting drenched while taking a photo with her point-and-shoot camera.

I'm hoping this year will see the return of sunny skies and great weather for Clawson's Down on Main Street car show!

Note: "Where I live" posts are part of a series of periodic stories about special events and people in, and around, metro Detroit. "Where I live" posts are stories I'll post in addition to my regular schedule of
stories about attractions around the larger Midwestern region. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them.
© Dominique King 2010 All rights reserved
Comments