This monthly car show and swap meet aims to raise funds for Clermont Days. Here are the details
Mar. 28—There are many ways to raise funds, and a group of friends from Clermont decided their love of vintage cars and trucks and the art of the swap were good enough reasons to bring people together for a common goal.
Vintage Auto and Truck Swap Meet and Car Corral
When: 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. first Saturday of every month
Where: Clermont Ball Field, 151 Oxford Road, Clermont
More info: clermontga.com
The first-ever vintage auto and truck swap meet and car corral began this month with the express purpose of being a fundraising tool for the annual Clermont Days celebration in September.
The Town of Clermont spends thousands of dollars on the festival's firework displays and Rob Hicks, a town employee, and Warren Weaver, a town resident, thought the proceeds from the auto and truck event could help offset the costs.
"I love car shows and cruise-ins, and we thought they would be a good way to raise money," Weaver reasoned.
Hicks believes there is an appetite for a vintage car show in town, suggesting the event would be a big draw.
"We got tired of having to travel to other car corrals and thought of just having it here in our backyard," Hicks said.
The swap meet and car corral is slated to take place on the first Saturday of every month through November at the Clermont Ball Field, located at 151 Oxford Road.
For those looking to book some room for swapping boat, car, truck and tractor parts and automotive tools, 20-by-30-foot swap spaces are available for $25, cash only.
The cost to join the car corral, which are purchased spaces used for showcasing cars for sale, is $15. As typical for car corrals, which allows for direct dealer-to-buyer opportunity that doesn't happen at auto dealerships, trailers are not allowed at the corral in Clermont.
For those that just want to get a closer look at custom automobiles, the corrals can be less crowded than the car shows that take place in arenas and conference centers. The corrals are also an opportunity to make or spend time with friends, Weaver said.
The first event, held Saturday, March 4, saw visitors from Gwinnett, Habersham, Jackson and Lumpkin counties, according to Weaver.
"It's a good fellowship and relationship builder," he said. "And not just for Clermont residents, but for residents of nearby counties. The swap meet and car corral is rich in fellowship."
For entertainment, music is provided by "Boogie" Bobby Benefield, a local DJ and part of the team behind the event.
Boogie's got big shoes to fill. He's taking over the DJ duties from the late Dean Wilson, a beloved member of the car enthusiasts in town, said Weaver. Wilson played the music during the town's previous cruise-ins and, according to Weaver, "was loved by everyone."
The swap meets and car corrals are dry events, Clermont officials have said, as alcoholic beverages will not be sold or permitted on town property.
For more information, visit clermontga.com.
