NUTLEY, NJ — The Nutley Rotary Classic Car Show will be held this year on Wednesday, Sept. 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Franklin Street, from John H. Walker Middle School to Chestnut Street — the same location as last year. Chairman of the event is John Monaco, owner of Personal Touch Florist and an active member of the Nutley Rotary who chaired the first show last year.
The Rotary has planned a full night of food, music and vendors. There will be classic cars, trucks and motorcycles, possibly 100 vehicles in total, say the organizers. Trophies will be awarded, and there will be 50/50 drawings. And it’s all in the name of charity — proceeds from the night will be given to the Nutley Emergency and Rescue Squad and the Rotary Scholarship Fund.
It was Monaco who first got the ball rolling on creating a car-show fundraiser.
When he first joined Nutley Rotary he was told that members were encouraged to reach out beyond the boundaries of the club and help others. After some talk with his fellow Rotarians and additional thought on his part, he decided he would organize a car show, and that the money raised would be given to a local group. Everyone loves a good car show, he said.
To put the plan in motion, the Rotarians formed a car-show committee which had about 15 members. There was much to do. Donors had to be found. The commissioners had to be told what was happening. Permits had to be secured. And there was plenty of old-fashioned knocking on doors to solicit contributions.
Overseeing the project was a big endeavor
“I don’t think I could have pulled it off without all the help I got,” said Monaco, mentioning not only his fellow Rotarians, but the police and fire departments, the Sheriff’s Department and the commissioners.
It was decided that the recipients of the money that first year would be the Nutley Police and Fire departments.
A date was nailed down: Sept. 12. A crew of Rotarians — 40 members strong — were ready. And that morning it rained.
Not a big rain, and it didn’t rain all the time, but that rain generated just enough deterrence that some of the owners of the classic cars decided to keep their vehicles home in the safety of the garage.
“The rain,” said Monaco. “You don’t take a classic car out in the rain.” Something about the paint, he said.
Still, there were quite a few cars that did attend, about 83 in all, and a lot of spectators too, who didn’t mind a passing shower. And the show turned a good profit.
“It was substantial,” Monaco said of the amount of money they raised.
Regarding the popularity of a car show, Monaco said it wasn’t just men who like to see the classic cars, but women too enjoy the vehicles of yesteryear. And there is more to vintage cars than just a good polish, chrome and a ragtop. Monaco suggested that when someone sees a certain car from their youth, maybe a family car or a hot rod that was owned by a bad boy in the neighborhood, it triggers a burst of childhood memories and suddenly there you are, sitting in the front seat with your dad behind the wheel, going somewhere exciting.
Monaco said the Rotary show this year will have a selection of cars, trucks and motorcycles, in all makes, models and years. The layout along of Franklin Avenue from the middle school to Chestnut Street will have staggered groups of cars on both sides of the street, interspersed with food vendors, more cars and more food, a few more venders, then maybe a dunk tank and then even more cars and venders. Monaco has a big sheet of cardboard filled with colorful squares where he plots out the location of each car, motorcycle, food vender and other participants to create a balanced midway for the night.
Music will be provided by Rob Franicola with his Ultimate Entertainment equipment.
The food will include — and this is just a sampling of what is expected — hot dogs, zeppoles, snow cones, ice cream, specialty sandwiches and empanadas.
The Nutley Police and Fire departments will be operating the dunk tank and that can be a fun place to stand around and listen to the heckling back and forth between the thrower and the person sitting on the dunking seat.
Along the route, commemorative T-shirts and 50/50 tickets will be sold.
Trophies will be awarded for the competitive entrants.
Monaco thinks this coming car show will be bigger than 2018. Rotary volunteers will be on hand to keep things running smoothly. Money raised will be given to the Nutley Emergency and Rescue Squad and the Rotary Scholarship Fund.
The Rotarians think they might have 85 vehicles on display this year, but Monaco believes that number is low. He’s thinking they could have 100. And he’s optimistic about the future of the Nutley Rotary Classic Car Show too.
“I think it will grow,” he said of the years to come.
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