It's pedal to the metal on Anoka car shows

After more than 150 car show fans packed a recent Anoka City Council meeting, council members agreed unanimously Monday to a revised proposal to hold car shows almost every Saturday night this season.

The council, concerned about tying up downtown, had suggested having less frequent car shows than last year, when the show ran nearly every Saturday. The former organizer, River Town Community Partnership, pulled out in January after the council talked about imposing a $500 per show fee and directed an advisory commission to study the issue.

The Anoka Business and Landowners Association director Peter Turok agreed to run the show and suggested a schedule of alternate Saturdays to the council three weeks ago. But after he heard car enthusiasts' pleas to a sympathetic council, Turok said he would reconsider. His association board last week approved seven more Saturdays for a total of 16 shows, he said.

"They certainly are enthusiastic," said Mayor Phil Rice, who still has concerns about car show overkill. "It's hard to argue with bringing more visitors to town ... even if there is no immediate payback, it has to have some positive effect on your town. I think, what the heck, we will see how it works out."

This spring, the city's Economic Development Commission will recommend fees and policies for car shows or other events on city property.

Anoka car show fans are thrilled with the added shows, which begin May 16.

"We would have had a pathetic summer without the car shows," said Merrill Dorstad, who had asked the council last month to add more shows. "In Minnesota we have five or six months of good weather and the rest of the year the cars are in storage. We want to get out and have some fun."

Meanwhile, in neighboring Ramsey, officials are interested in starting a car show season, said Mayor Bob Ramsey. He said he has talked to River Town Community Partnership officials, who ran Anoka's show the past two summers, about starting a car show and a farmer's market in Ramsey's partly vacant Town Center.

Traffic flow changes

Rice, the Anoka mayor, said parking for the classic cars will be moved so traffic can circulate along Jackson Street and back to Main Street. Noting that Turok is the fourth organizer to run the Anoka car show, Rice said he is concerned that too many shows will burn out volunteers. Turok said he has more than 50 volunteers, including some city firefighters, and has recruited five pairs of co-leaders to take turns running the shows. Each show requires about 15 volunteers to direct cars and set up and remove signs and equipment.

Classic car owners will be charged $3, except those from Anoka, who will be admitted free. One dollar goes to the city, and the rest covers expenses, Turok said. Any money left over will go to Rediscover Anoka, a business group promoting downtown shopping, he said.

The City Council decided Monday that its share of car fees will go to area social service groups. For-profit vendors will be charged $25 a show, but local service groups, including Anoka's Meals on Wheels, will be allowed to set up booths for free, Turok said.