Car Week officially kicks off with a big party

A big party with lots of good food, wine, and fancy cars and planes is a great way to kick off Car Week. It’s a welcome sight to businesses all around the area, too.

“I’m thrilled that car week is finally here. It’s something we wait for all year round, so to be a part of it, especially to celebrate 25 years here with McCall, it’s one of the best weeks of the year for sure,” said Todd Fisher, executive chef at Tarpy’s Road House.

It’s not only the restaurants that benefit.

“Car Week is huge for not only people that buy cars but also everything that’s associated with it. For me, that’s men’s wear,” said men’s wear designer Maddox Haberdasher.

What you wear can be just as important as what you drive, men’s wear businessmen say.

“Let’s say the guy has a brown car. He might want a sport coat or a suit or a shirt to compliment the car,” said men’s wear designer Oliver Elbert.

Twenty five years ago, Gordon McCall hosted the first party to celebrate the start of Car Week, but at that time, it was planned for a lot fewer people.

“Forty people at the party, it’s now grown to 3,000. It’s been 3,000 people since the year 2000,” McCall said.

And the highlight for the host this year?

“This is every car guy’s dream. Twenty five years of doing anything I think is an accomplishment, so to see all these people here having a good time, raising money for the 11-99 Foundation, that’s satisfying,” McCall said.

This is just the start. There are many more exciting events to watch for the rest of the week.