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Stater Brothers Route 66 Rendezvous 2008 |
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Written by Lauren Lunstrum
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Tuesday, 23 September 2008 |
 San Bernardino, CA
September 18-21, 2008
Story By Lauren Lunstrum
Photos By Cathy Jardine
Rowdy muscle cars and sleek hot rods roared down the bustling streets of downtown San Bernardino this past weekend attracting viewers from far and wide to watch in awe. The famous 19th Annual Stater Brothers Route 66 Rendezvous took hold of downtown San Bernardino, CA for the weekend of September 18-21, 2008.
 For four days, pre-1974 classics, hot rods and custom cars owned the streets of downtown San Bernardino. The streets were lined with cars with their hoods up so viewers could take a look inside at the engine and see what it was composed of. Other cars cruised around designated streets shrieking with loud engines and screeching tires. Some cars sported a classy early 1920s look while Bel Airs took hold of the ‘40s and ‘50s. Some muscle cars displayed neon lights bordering their license plates and a few even had flames blow out at the back end of their cars.
 “The Route 66 is an event where families can bring their kids and show them what it’s all about. I’ve been to the Route 66 for three years,” said George Romero, a San Bernardino resident, “but this is my first year of having a car on display.” He proudly sat in his 1924 taxi which at one point actually drove on Court Street, one of the streets in downtown San Bernardino.
Other attractions of the show were contests such as the Neon Light, where car owners compete with each other by decorating their car with neon lights. Also Open Header and San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino were popular contests. There was even a Model Car contest where people could submit a small model car they had built. The Burnout is also a highlight of the festival, where car owners can race each other at the Orange Show Speedway.
 Friends and families stood together as they watched the cars as they paraded down the streets. They also had a chance to buy items such as food, accessories and car materials from vendors lined along the way. A stage was set up where bands blared music like surf, rockabilly, and classic rock. One well known rockabilly band, the Deadbeat Daddies, came all the way from Palm Desert, CA. They were one of the main headliners on Saturday evening.
The Route 66 has been a great success for the City of San Bernardino, starting off initially with 300 cars and 4,000 spectators in 1990, the show currently has a limit of 1,900 cars and entertains more than 500,000 spectators from all over the United States. The event is used as a promotional activity to attract tourists to visit their city, and also fuel the economy for San Bernardino.
 The demand for the annual Route 66 Rendezvous is only growing every year, and the number of cars is now reaching their limit and city is requesting more space. Many look forward to next year’s Route 66 for the excitement and history of America’s classic cars.
For more Cathy Jardine photos for the Stater Brothers Route 66 Rendezvous, click here.
For more information on the Stater Brothers Route 66 Rendezvous, click here.
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Lauren Lunstrum |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 23 September 2008 )
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