26th annual Pizza Run Car Show hits town over the weekend
Last weekend, one of the city of Soda Springs’ most anticipated events of the summer for many people took place in its traditional spot in the City Park. Over the course of a Saturday that saw fantastic weather, the Pizza Run Car Show brought in thousands of people to view over a hundred cars from Model A’s to modern marvels, eat a range of food, participate in fun, games, and raffles, and spend time together in a tradition that now spans over a quarter century.
As one of the event organizers Jennifer Squires explained, there have been and are countless people responsible for putting the show together and running it, so we can’t cover them all here. The Enterprise was able to catch up with Ryan Carpenter however, who is a core member of the car show team. He offered some insight into how it came about, and what it means to the community.
In terms of how the show started, it began with humbler roots in the Lallatin’s parking lot. As Carpenter tells it: “In 1997 Matthew “Pizza” Lindsay passed away in an auto accident, at the age of 20. Matt was a friend to many. A group of his friends got together in a celebration of his life, drove hot rods and gathered in the Lallatins’ grocery store parking lot. After a couple of years of these gatherings (that started to get a little rowdy with encouragement from law enforcement), a number of them decided to legitimize things and hold an official car show. The first car show was held in 1999 with around 50 cars. From those humble beginnings, the car show has expanded to well over 100 cars each year with more than 2,000 spectators gathering to enjoy the show. The Main Street Cruisers car club was formed, and through the years has branched out to include the Caribou County Angel Tree at Christmas time for low income families and also providing college scholarships for high school graduates. These charitable benefits are funded through generous donations and proceeds from the car show.”
As the history suggests, the event began as something of an outsider event but has evolved into a featured spot on the city’s calendar. Again, in the words of Carpenter: “The car show has evolved from a bunch of early 20 somethings, with some generous adult supervision and help, to now the kids of that young group being actively involved with a hope of continuing well into the future. The car show started with participants paying an entry fee and is now a sponsored show, with participants being free to enter. Sponsors are able to award a trophy to the car they have selected. By making a free show, it has encouraged people to not only try this show, but to keep coming back, year after year.”
Over time, the scope of the show has evolved as well, as more and more people and local volunteers and businesses have become involved. The show started as a way to memorialize Matt, but has now added two additional memorial awards for individuals who were integral in the success of this show, brothers Travis Hopkins and Tysen Hopkins.
Food and entertainment have also changed over time. “In the beginning the only concessions were soda pop in a cooler and a table with snacks. Main Street Cruisers now has a custom cooking trailer, built by Custom Iron, where they serve up burgers, hot dogs, navajo tacos, scones, chili and all the fixings,” Carpenter says. “They offer t-shirt sales and raffle prizes too. Main Street Cruisers like to think their raffle is the best in all the car shows of Idaho. There is routinely more than $5,000 in raffle prizes. In the early shows, there was live music and local bands playing throughout the day for musical entertainment. A live DJ/announcer is now a staple to the show, providing hours of musical entertainment and fun for all. Over time, and in an effort to include the community, we have added family friendly activities. There have been dance parties, bounce houses, sand art and glitter tattoos. We have involved local vendors and other charitable organization to be a part of the day.”
It has been a family affair over the years, which tracks with an event started by a small group of friends in the nineties. As happens to everyone, things change and families grow over time, and participation in the show has come to include the children of the original founders. “Because we have been doing this for 26 years, we have been able to see young families who started coming with children, to now see those children come and bring their families,” Carpenter says. “Hearing people say this is their favorite show is always a motivating factor to keep doing the show year after year. The community involvement in the show has always been amazing. What started as a bunch of young punk kids, with their old cars has turned into the second largest event in Soda Springs and the community has rallied to support that.”
As the afternoon rolls on, the items which are given away by way of raffles are nearly constant. In addition to the raffle prizes, prizes for cars are also contributed by sponsors. At this point, the list of sponsors is substantial, and included at the end of this article. On behalf of the organizers, Carpenter adds, “Main Street Cruisers hold each sponsor in high esteem. Their generous donation allow this show to happen, without them, this show would not be possible. Their donation allows the entire community to come enjoy the day of classic cars, good food and great people.”
As you’d expect, there are no plans for the future other than to continue to grow the show every year, hopefully preparing it for the grandkids of the original founders. “Main Street Cruisers hopes to continue to expand and grow the show as the second and third generations become more involved. A tradition has been laid and we hope it evolves into a bigger and better show each year,” as Carpenter says.
As a great way to kick off the hotter portion of the summer, the show brings a lot of attention to the downtown city center, and gives everyone a chance to meet up outside in the sun. As Carpenter summarizes it, “In addition to funding scholarships and the Angel Tree program at Christmastime, the show attracts visitors from all the surrounding states, allowing people to experience what Soda Springs is really about. A day of fun, laughter, memories and nostalgia. The Main Street Cruisers would like to thank the community for being gracious hosts of this show for these past 26 years.”
Sponsors: A+ Contractors, Advantage Plus Federal Credit Union, Alan Brown Bee Company, Alaula Tan and Nails, Alliance Title and Escrow, Associated Towing, Associated Towing and Repair, BILLY, LLC, Barnes Family, Broulim’s, Bryant Smith Projects, Caribou Ford, Caribou Medical Center, Cobblestone Inn and Suites, Cole Automotive, Cole Farms, Craig’s Backhoe Service, Custom Iron Work, D&D Machines, Danger Boy Carquest, Davis Repair, Dirt Bag Ranch, Divine Dance Studio, Driven Rides, Dunford Mountain Muffler and Repair, Gate City Real Estate, Henesh Construction, Idan-Ha Indoor Theatre, Ireland Bank, Jason Ashley Family, Jeff’s Body Repair, Lakey Farms, Lallatin Food Town, Lester Customs and Repair, M&R Sports, Main Street Diner, Mocha Man’s Espresso, Mountain States Insurance Group, Mountain View Dental, NAPA Auto Parts, Patterson Quik Stop, Perk’s Electric, Point S Tire and Auto Service, Reid’s Plumbing and Heating, Rindlisbaker Farms, Rosie Scott, Royster’s Welding Services, Sanders Furniture and Appliance, Shane’s Service Station, Simmons Family Farms, Soda Sip, Soda Smiles, Soda Springs Fire Chief, Soda Springs Phosphate, Soda Suds, Soils Alive, Somsen Lumber, Star Physical Therapy, Sweet Grass Cattle Company, The Flower Box, Torgesen Family, Torgesen Farms, Trail Canyon Lodge, Vaughan Smith Construction, Windy Point Lumber.
