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The First Saturdays Car Show at First and Main Town Center was popular for a decade, but the show didn't go on this year. A Colorado Springs event promoter says he wants to hold it at a different venue.  

Mariano “J.R.” Nandin Jr. shows his street rod at car shows and is working on resurrecting an annual show in Green Mountain Falls, which is among several in the Pikes Peak region that didn't happen this year for various reasons. 

Car shows attract a variety of vehicles, including this 1948 coupe that has appeared at area car shows in recent years. 

The First Saturdays Car Show at First and Main Town Center was popular for a decade, but the show didn't go on this year. A Colorado Springs event promoter says he wants to hold it at a different venue.  

Mariano “J.R.” Nandin Jr. shows his street rod at car shows and is working on resurrecting an annual show in Green Mountain Falls, which is among several in the Pikes Peak region that didn't happen this year for various reasons. 

Car shows attract a variety of vehicles, including this 1948 coupe that has appeared at area car shows in recent years. 

Nostalgia has taken a back seat, as five car shows — some among the largest and most premier displays of street rods, restored classics and modified custom vehicles in the Pikes Peak region — have been canceled this summer.

At least one — the First Saturdays Car Show at First and Main Town Center off North Powers Boulevard — may not return to the venue where it had been for a decade.

Others are gearing up for a comeback in 2023, some under different leadership.

“There are a lot of things contributing — there’s a bigger picture than COVID or the economy,” said Colorado Springs resident Marshall Sanders, who builds hot rods for a living.

For 25 years, he and his wife, Sandy, helped organize Cruise Above the Clouds.

The show had been held for 30 years in mid-September around the lake in the center of Woodland Park.

Dwindling support from members, a late start and aging organizers added up to no show this year, said Carl Rust, secretary of the Above the Clouds Cruisers club, which produced the event.

“A lot of us are becoming older; it’s increasingly harder physically and to devote the time,” he ticked off. “A lot of work goes into the planning and organizing, getting sponsors, figuring out artwork for a T-shirt, handling registration.

“We didn’t want to just do a show that was not going to be up to our usual standards, so we felt like we had no choice but to back off.”

“We’ll see,” Rust said. “I just don’t know what the future holds.”

The event featured up to 300 pre-1972 vehicles and drew thousands of onlookers.

“People still seem to be interested in coming and looking at the cars because you don’t see them that often anymore,” Rust said.

But the age of participants could be adding to a waning of the hobby, he said. And show cars can cost from $30,000 to $100,000 to create, said Sanders, the hot rod builder.

Cost also can be an issue for clubs that have to hire police and close roads for events, Rust said.

Since the Cruisers club is a nonprofit, the city of Woodland Park did not charge fees for use of the facilities, said City Manager Michael Lawson.

“In fact, in the past, the city has lent in-kind support like staffing and equipment,” he said. “From our perspective, it is unfortunate the event is not happening, as it’s a tradition here and many folks truly enjoy it.”

The event also raised money for charitable organizations in Teller County, such as food pantries, the animal shelter and human services, amounting to $250,000 in 30 years, Rust said.

COVID paused many events, including car shows for 2020 and 2021, but this year, a variety of issues have contributed to their absence.

The First and Main Town Center show, which occurred once monthly from May to October for a decade, was billed as “the largest cars and coffee car show,” with concours cars, muscle cars, lowriders, sports cars, hot rods, street rods and trucks.

Ace Entertainment ran the show for the first seven years, said the company's owner, who goes by the name of Ace. COVID and changes in organizational leadership led to its demise, he said.

Ace also has produced the Old Colorado City Car Show, which supports the Alzheimer’s Association. It’s taken place the third Sunday in August for three years, but not this year.

Ace blames COVID again for the lack of a show, which he said featured 635 cars in 2019 and 18,000 spectators. 

“We thought we’d just wait 'til things cleared up a little bit,” he said. “People are disappointed, but they are concerned about their health and welfare, too, so they understand.”

Ace said the show will be back next year. 

Another car exhibit in Old Colorado City, Cars & Coffee in OCC, which occurred on the second Saturday of each month, had to cancel some shows because of a scheduling conflict with the Pikes Peak Farmer’s Market, which happens every Saturday starting in June and running into October, according to Farmer's Market organizers.

The Thin Air Nationals in Green Mountain Falls, which marked its 40th anniversary in 2019, the last year of the show, also was a no-show this year.

The Colorado Springs Rod and Custom Car Club, one of the oldest car clubs in the city, dropped its sponsorship of the show, said member Mariano “J.R.” Nandin Jr.

The club voted in 2019 to discontinue its affiliation, then COVID prevented the car show in 2020 and 2021, he said.

Timing was part of the problem, Nandin said.

Nate Scott, Green Mountain Falls’ clerk, treasurer and city planner said he was contacted in the spring by someone from the club, who said they were interested in doing the show this year. But the town gazebo at the lake, around which cars are displayed, was already reserved for a wedding on the date the car club requested, Scott said, and he never heard back from the car club representative.

“Events which reserve the entire park do require a special event permit from the town, so there is a bit of a process to complete for it,” Nandin said.

The show featured up to 200 cars and drew 1,000 attendees annually, he said.

People were drawn to the location for its picturesque spot around the small-town lake surrounded by mountain foothills and a hometown feel.

Nandin, who said he gave the Thin Air Nats its name, wants to resurrect the show next year under a different sponsorship.

“People love the venue and love to spend a Saturday sitting around talking about cars and enjoying the company,” he said. “It brings the community together and introduces Green Mountain Falls to people who maybe didn’t know about it.”

Contact the writer: 719-476-1656.

Staff reporter, education and general news and features

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