Joplin Car Show and related events return this week

After being canceled last year due to COVID-19, Saturday, June 19, will see the return of the combined events of Dawson’s Run, Joplin Art in the Park, Joplin Car Show, and the Joplin Motor Rodeo at 22 Seconnd St. East in Joplin, all supported by the Joplin Commercial Club.

“After a year of lockdowns and cancelled events, we are excited to announce we are back,” the club says on its Facebook page.

The event’s page says the day’s activities will be kicked off by Dawson’s Run, with race check-in starting at 9 a.m. in front of the old Joplin Mart and the race starting at 10 a.m.

It says there is a one-mile and a three-mile race, and those interested should pre-register with Jada Fraser to get a race T-shirt.

Tom Wood, an organizer for the Joplin Car Show who has been involved with these events for all 18-plus years they’ve been held, said it’s good to be back on track after having to cancel last year.

Last year, a car show was held in the local school’s football stadium to try and make up for the cancellation, and while it drew an impressive number of people, its good to be back to normal, he said.

“It’s so much nicer in the park, you’ve got trees and shade and some windbreak,” he said.

Wood said he was impressed by the show put on in the football stadium last year, but the cancellation of the show last year was still unfortunate.

“It was a let down, like everything else,” he said.

He said he expects attendance will be greater this year than normal because people are itching to go out and do something after a year of the pandemic.

Wood said the show takes all kinds of cars, pick up trucks and motorcycles with registration for the show beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 11 a.m.

The show will begin in earnest at 10 a.m. and the awards ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. at the park gazebo.

Wood said beyond the registration fee there is no gatekeeping at the show and anyone who thinks they have something interesting can sign up even if it isn’t fancy or super-powerful.

“If it goes, it shows,” he said.

He said awards are given for a number of categories including nostalgia, paint job, farthest driven, and this year they have a new category for the newer Camaros, Mustangs and the like.

In fact, Wood said said, if anyone has a project they’re working on or building they can bring it to the show even if it’s only partially done. He said attendees, himself included, find these projects fascinating to see and talk about.

He also said he’s seen people bring in big projects partially done and by showing them off they get the motivation they need to finish.

“If you’re working on a project for a few months and you’re getting kind of wore out on it, you take what you got to the car show and talk to people about it and it gets you fired up again,” he said.

He said he finds the late ’60s and ’70s muscle cars the most interesting projects, personally.

Wood said in an average year the show gets between 50 and 70 participants, and that number, as well as attendance, has stayed consistent or risen except in those years that weather has gotten in the way, and even then plenty of people still show up.

“We never doubt that it’s going to be a good turnout,” he said.

He said the event has been big and getting bigger since it first began nearly two decades ago, though some expressed skepticism in the early days.

“In the first five to seven years people would say to their friends, ‘You should come to the car show in Joplin,’ and then they’d go, ‘Oh, what kind of a car show is little old Joplin gonna have?’ And it’s been a success since day one, it just grows and grows,” he said.

Wood said Art in the Park, one of the events held in tandem with the car show will feature live music and a horseshoe tournament.

“Big Sky Drive” will provide live music both Friday and Saturday night at Nancy’s Bar.

The event’s Facebook page says the Juvat crew is also expanding the Joplin Motor Rodeo at the old Joplin football field this year and food and drinks will continue into the night.

It says the event will also feature activities for children including rides, inflatables and treats at The Kids Zone.

Vendors will also be selling their good between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Kassondra May, who has been organizing vendors for the event, said anyone interested in becoming a vendor should get in touch with her at 406-589-4779 and preferably have their payments in by at least Friday, June 18.

May said Explore America will be providing pulled-pork sandwiches for the events, and Golden Prairie will be providing taco in a bag.

More details on the event can be found on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/967306500675764 which will also be updated with more information as it becomes available.

The page says the event can always use more volunteers and locals that want to get more involved with this event can get in touch any time.