Fathers may bond with their children during the Father's Day car show, but between the location, the participants and the vendors, there will be plenty to do for the whole family - members of the sponsoring Prison City Ramblers promise.
Jennifer Meyers / The Citizen
Car crazy On the cover: Ed Pinckney stands with his 1981 Corvette outside his garage in Fleming Monday afternoon.
Car crazy On the cover: Ed Pinckney stands with his 1981 Corvette outside his garage in Fleming Monday afternoon.
The Prison City Ramblers Car Club will host the 16th annual Father's Day Car Show Sunday.
While hot rods, muscle cars or souped up vehicles may catch people's eyes, vendors will also offer wares including trinkets, body art, stereos, car parts and delicious food, Ramblers President Dominic Ciampaglia said.
Emerson Park offers the perfect location because it's family friendly and allows for a beautiful backdrop, he added.
“It was a hit as soon as we moved there,” Ciampaglia said.
Event chairman Ed Pinckney said he and other members hear praise about the picturesque backdrop when they travel out of state to other shows.
They picked Father's Day, the third Sunday in June, because the date was before other organizations began throwing their car shows. And they've kept at it because of the positive reception they received from people, as well as the weatherman.
“The weather's been kind to us. In 16 years, we had one rain out. If you have good weather, they will come,” Ciampaglia said.
Of the expected 500 classic and antique vehicles that will be on display, many are repeaters, although some people may bring different cars, and some are new exhibitors.
“Every year we seem to reach out to more and different people,” Ciampaglia said.
While most of the cars are considered “classic,” which means 25 years or older, some do bring vehicles manufactured within the past two decades.
The event doesn't put automobiles into selection categories based on the models' year like many shows. Instead, the judges pick what they think are the best 50 vehicles, with additional prizes for special awards such as the mayor's pick, best in show, sheriff's choice, best display and best engine, for example.
Most of the club's 150 members display their vehicles, but they do not go up for any of the awards. Ciampaglia will bring out his 1964 Barracuda for the day, as well as in two weeks for the Finger Lakes car show.
The club's members serve as judges, along with guest judges from other clubs.
Pinckney likes to display has 1981 Corvette but it doesn't bother him that it won't be judged. He's got a shed and garage full of trophies in his Fleming home. He likes to see the competition between owners who are trying to go “something a little bit nicer or little bit different.”
The award ceremony at the end is Ciampaglia's favorite part of the Father's Day show. After eight months of planning, seeing people receive their trophies and the wrap up of another successful car show invokes sighs of relief.
“It's so stressful and when we see them getting their prizes, you feel pretty darn great. We don't give out tokens ... we reward,” he said. “And that's why they do it, they don't do it for the money.”
However, money does play a factor in the show.
The club gives selected charities and non-profit organizations the proceeds from the event. This year's recipients include the Matthew House, the Calvary Presbyterian Church's food pantry, Finger Lakes Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Central New York and the Cayuga County Habitat for Humanity.
Each year, organizers invited the recipients of the previous year's funds to set up a booth and accept other donations during the day.
This is the second charter of the group named for the city's largest employer. Auburn's first started in 1955 but disbanded around 1960 because many members left to fight in the Vietnam War, and later, the energy crisis of the 1970s made such events unpopular.
Ciampaglia joined a few months before they stopped.
Now that's it has started up and been running successfully, they are looking to expand with a Web site and e-mail to reach even more people.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
If you go
What: 16th annual Prison City Ramblers Car Show
When: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
Where: Owasco Lake at Emerson Park
Cost: $10 to register a vehicle the day of the show; parking fee
While hot rods, muscle cars or souped up vehicles may catch people's eyes, vendors will also offer wares including trinkets, body art, stereos, car parts and delicious food, Ramblers President Dominic Ciampaglia said.
Emerson Park offers the perfect location because it's family friendly and allows for a beautiful backdrop, he added.
“It was a hit as soon as we moved there,” Ciampaglia said.
Event chairman Ed Pinckney said he and other members hear praise about the picturesque backdrop when they travel out of state to other shows.
They picked Father's Day, the third Sunday in June, because the date was before other organizations began throwing their car shows. And they've kept at it because of the positive reception they received from people, as well as the weatherman.
“The weather's been kind to us. In 16 years, we had one rain out. If you have good weather, they will come,” Ciampaglia said.
Of the expected 500 classic and antique vehicles that will be on display, many are repeaters, although some people may bring different cars, and some are new exhibitors.
“Every year we seem to reach out to more and different people,” Ciampaglia said.
While most of the cars are considered “classic,” which means 25 years or older, some do bring vehicles manufactured within the past two decades.
The event doesn't put automobiles into selection categories based on the models' year like many shows. Instead, the judges pick what they think are the best 50 vehicles, with additional prizes for special awards such as the mayor's pick, best in show, sheriff's choice, best display and best engine, for example.
Most of the club's 150 members display their vehicles, but they do not go up for any of the awards. Ciampaglia will bring out his 1964 Barracuda for the day, as well as in two weeks for the Finger Lakes car show.
The club's members serve as judges, along with guest judges from other clubs.
Pinckney likes to display has 1981 Corvette but it doesn't bother him that it won't be judged. He's got a shed and garage full of trophies in his Fleming home. He likes to see the competition between owners who are trying to go “something a little bit nicer or little bit different.”
The award ceremony at the end is Ciampaglia's favorite part of the Father's Day show. After eight months of planning, seeing people receive their trophies and the wrap up of another successful car show invokes sighs of relief.
“It's so stressful and when we see them getting their prizes, you feel pretty darn great. We don't give out tokens ... we reward,” he said. “And that's why they do it, they don't do it for the money.”
However, money does play a factor in the show.
The club gives selected charities and non-profit organizations the proceeds from the event. This year's recipients include the Matthew House, the Calvary Presbyterian Church's food pantry, Finger Lakes Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Central New York and the Cayuga County Habitat for Humanity.
Each year, organizers invited the recipients of the previous year's funds to set up a booth and accept other donations during the day.
This is the second charter of the group named for the city's largest employer. Auburn's first started in 1955 but disbanded around 1960 because many members left to fight in the Vietnam War, and later, the energy crisis of the 1970s made such events unpopular.
Ciampaglia joined a few months before they stopped.
Now that's it has started up and been running successfully, they are looking to expand with a Web site and e-mail to reach even more people.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
If you go
What: 16th annual Prison City Ramblers Car Show
When: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
Where: Owasco Lake at Emerson Park
Cost: $10 to register a vehicle the day of the show; parking fee