From Ferraris to Ford Model Ts and everything in between, Rotary car show will be a “barnburner”

For decades, car enthusiasts and families have gathered downtown in late September for the Weston & Wayland Rotary Club’s Antique and Classic Car Show and this year’s event is expected to be no different.

With so many antique and vintage vehicles on display, as well as the family-friendly atmosphere, Rotary Club member and event organizer Richard DeVito Jr. said the car show is a chance for people to connect with their community.

“It’s an opportunity for people to get together, meet their neighbors and take a walk back through time,” DeVito said. “Over the 27 years we’ve done this, we’ve made friends and we get to see them at other car shows. The reality is, they’re an extension of our family.”

The 28th annual car show will be held on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of Town Hall. The event is rain or shine. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children. Vehicles can be registered through the morning of the event, until car judging begins at 10 a.m. Pre-registration is $20; on-site is $25.

The show’s roots trace back nearly three decades, when Richard DeVito Sr. enlisted the help of local mechanic Victor Yerardi to organize the inaugural event to raise money for Rotary Club scholarships. In its first year, DeVito Jr. said, the show attracted about 50 vehicles and it has brought more cars and more people ever since.

“It’s grown to be a premier car show on the car show circuit,” DeVito said, describing the event as a “barnburner.” “We’ve gone from 50, 60 cars to 220 last year.”

The key to generating so much interest is the sheer variety of vehicles that come to the event each year. From Ferraris to Ford Model Ts and everything in between, including Sprint and Indy racing cars, DeVito said there is something for car lovers of all interests.

Additionally, the show is a peer-judged competition, meaning everyone who registers a car gets a chance to vote. With so many voters, DeVito said, each one brings a unique perspective to what makes a vehicle attractive, allowing a wide variety of cars to be recognized.

“I would say, without hesitancy, that the car owners really know how to pick the best in show,” he said. “It’s very much an equalizer and we think it’s much fairer.”

Proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Weston & Wayland’s educational scholarships and other Rotary Club projects, including the children’s business fair, conservation efforts and food insecurity programs. Over the last 27 years, the Rotary Club’s car show has raised more than $620,000, according to DeVito.

“It’s really been the focal project that we do in terms of fundraising,” he said.

In addition to the vintage vehicles, the Weston Rotary Grill will be serving up coffee and doughnuts for breakfast, as well as popcorn, hot dogs, hamburgers and soft drinks.

For more information about the car show, visit westoncarshow.com. For more information on how to become a sponsor of the Rotary Club, visit bit.ly/4fTUElC.