Glory Daze dazzles car enthusiasts

If you found a parking spot in Sisters Saturday, consider yourself among the lucky. Between the 1,000-plus who marveled at a collection of 95 pristine cars and trucks - some nearly 100 years old - and The Artist Studio Tour, town was wall-to-wall with happy visitors.

Photo by Bill Bartlett

The Glory Daze Car Show shone on Main Avenue on Saturday, showcasing automobiles of many vintages.

And if three blocks of automotive artistry weren't enough for car buffs and their tag-alongs, no fewer than 52 vintage Packards rolled into Sisters, an overnight stop on their 1,100-mile road trip through a dozen states.

Packard was an American luxury automobile company located in Detroit, Michigan. The first Packard automobiles were produced in 1899, and the last Packards were built in South Bend, Indiana, in 1958.

The average value is $108,402, meaning some $5 million of them were huddled in the Ponderosa Inn parking lot, their home for a night.

One of their owners told The Nugget, "This is icing on our cake. We had no idea of the quality of car show you're putting on here."

That was the word used all day: quality. The judges of the juried show struggled with so many superb entries.

Chief judge Steve Auerbach said: "This was really tough. The scoring was all bunched so close together. We had so many excellent cars today."

The oohs and aahs from the constant stream of spectators was palpable.

"Just when I thought I had seen a truly amazing car, I'd walk 15 feet and there'd be another," said Riley Wilcox from Lebanon, Oregon, who journeyed with a motorcade of seven vehicles from the Valley, their third Glory Daze.

Aficionados looked under hoods and inspected imperceptible details of the impeccable vehicles. Others – call them gawkers – strolled up and down Main Avenue from Elm to Larch, three blocks closed to vehicular traffic.

Photo by Bill Bartlett

Classics lined Sisters streets as car-lovers explored the Glory Daze Car Show.

"Even if you are not a car nerd, you have to love what's happening here," admired Travis Cutler from Powell Butte. "It's such a nice layout, lots of room, right in front of a park. A lot of these shows are all jammed up in a parking lot," Cutler's wife Nora added.

Center stage for Glory Daze was Fir Street Park where kids could play, picnics could be held, and where a continuous playlist of memorable tunes from the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's completed the nostalgic mood.

Rotary Club of Sisters, a co-sponsor of the event, served up a hot breakfast and lunch. "I could smell those grilled onions three blocks away," said Toby Morrison from La Pine as he feasted on a smoked sausage.

Rotary also provided the judging team and marshaling crews who guided the high value entries into designated parking locations. The other co-sponsor was Mid Oregon Credit Union who also had an entry, a truck, one of 18 in total for the category. There were 11 categories in all.

The event itself is a production of Sisters Park & Recreation District. Its Executive Director, Jennifer Holland, could not be more pleased with the results.

"This year was another wonderful Glory Daze Car Show in downtown Sisters," she said. "Thanks to the sponsorship and support of Rotary Club of Sisters, and Mid Oregon Credit Union, Sisters Park & Recreation District was able to host this fabulous event that brings together community members and car enthusiasts.

"We are grateful to all the participants and spectators who attended this year. We also want to give a special thanks to Sisters community member Dave Reiss who provided a hand-crafted wooden trophy for the Best in Show winner."

That winner was a 1955 Chevrolet Corvette owned by John Bollier.

Nearby merchants raved at the event's impact on their receipts. The Barn in Sisters, the Sisters Saloon, Angeline's, Hardtails, and Ski Inn in particular, sang Glory Daze praises.

Scores of kids showed up for the event after their soccer games.

"This is such a fun way for kids to hang out. The blocked off streets mean we don't have to keep a constant eye on them," said mom Kim Hardesty.

Her three, and another six, were 25 feet ahead asking car owners questions, aware that the cars and trucks were to be seen and not touched.

Of course, a replica Batmobile scored high with the kids, as did some of the muscle cars.

As the show ended and the entrants exited, they spread out in Sisters, adding to the photogenic day. For as many as registered for the show, an equal number or more classic cars were parked all around town.

"I'm not ready to show, but I wouldn't miss it," said Will Dorman from Bend.

Dorman's vintage Fiat was parked near the venue along with a dozen other cars who missed the registration cut-off, but who still wanted to be seen.