Owner Don Rogers pilots us down Broadway.
4:13pm | In the three years that he’s owned it, former movie industry executive and Long Beach resident Don Rogers has shown his 1962 Corvette convertible in dozens of car shows from Santa Barbara to Reno.
“There’s not many shows that this car doesn’t win a trophy,” he chuckles, giving the steering wheel a spin as we cruise down Pine Avenue.
Rogers owns a couple of classic cars, but the rare ‘Vette holds a special place in his garage. The previous owner kept it in a warehouse for 22 years, so when Rogers came knocking the car was a little stiff but completely original, which is incredibly rare for a vehicle so iconic. “Actually, I bought it for my wife,” he says, and as transparent as that claim may seem, he says she takes girlfriends cruising down PCH on a regular basis.
Some of the most fun that the couple has had in the car has been driving it to one car show after another – “I drive it, I never trailer it,” he beams. But come this August, the Rogers’ won’t have to drive very far. The wildly popular Hot August Nights car show will branch out from its roots in Reno, Nevada to make its inaugural SoCal appearance with a four-day event in Long Beach.
“I think this is fantastic,” Rogers says, as he and about a dozen other enthusiasts participate in a mini-cruise through the streets of downtown Long Beach on Tuesday morning. The event was set up to build excitement for the coming main event in August, which anticipates more than 4,000 classic cars will be in attendance. But that’s not the number that the City of Long Beach has on its mind.
Based on the crowds that Hot August Nights draws during its shows in Reno, officials expect more than 250,000 attendees to flock to Long Beach over the course of the free four-day show. They’re also predicting an economic impact of more than $250 million to the Long Beach area. That’s enough to bring a smile to even the biggest skeptics.
“It’s going to be, I think, a huge event for the city,” said Mayor Bob Foster during the Tuesday event in Shoreline Village. “I can’t tell you how much I’m pleased that this is here.”
The show will consist of the main classic car display in Shoreline Village, along with an auto swap meet at the Queen Mary, craft fairs and exhibitions at the Long Beach Convention Center, nightly cruises along Shoreline Boulevard and much more.
“This is a momentous occasion for us,” said Bruce Walter, CEO of Hot August Nights. “Twenty-five years, and we’re cruising into Long Beach to celebrate.”
In addition to being a business partner with the city, organizers have also committed to being a community partner. The non-profit Hot August Nights Foundation has linked with local Boys & Girls Club locations to help Long Beach youth. In a five-year partnership with clubs in Reno, the foundation provided 120 kids with full four-year college scholarships. They’re pledgng to bring the same results to Long Beach,
“These kids need a safe place, they need a place where they can go after school,” said Oscar Hernandez, Director of Operations for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach. “We’ll be able to provide a service that sends many kids into college. Our legacy will go beyond Long Beach and into college dorm rooms.”
A few regulars at local Boys & Girls Clubs were also on hand, and couldn’t stop smiling after their ride in a pewter 1967 Oldsmobile 442-W.
“It brings you back,” said Anthony, a teenager who spends his after-school time at the John C. Wallace Boys & Girls Club near King Park in Long Beach. “It’s like I’m going back in time.”
That’s exactly what organizers want to hear from attendees and participants alike. In the end, Hot August Nights is about celebrating not only car culture but the era itself. For some, there’s a lot to hold on to.
“I’ve been offered so much money for this car,” Rogers says of the ‘Vette. “But I keep telling them that I don’t want to sell it. I sure can’t replace it.”
The ’23 Ford T Bucket of Fred Dempsey sports a blown 350 Chevy for power. Blasphemy? Maybe. Beautiful? Definitely.
An officer checks out a pristine continuation Shelby 427 Cobra S/C. While I’m a sucker for the legendary roadster, my eyes and heart are glued to the ’67 Olds 442-W behind him. Mercy me.
Rick Lorenzen, a Long Beach resident and owner of this ’56 Buick Century convertible, parades a couple of poodle skirts around the lighthouse in Shoreline Village. Photo courtesy Hot August Nights.