Richland to start new classic car event in 2023. But will it be Cool Desert Nights?
The city of Richland confirms it is negotiating to take over the Cool Desert Nights brand as it organizes its own ambitious car show for September.
The future of Cool Desert Nights, the popular Tri-City event that celebrates classic cars, hot rods and motorcycles, appeared dim last week.
West Richland Chamber of Commerce announced that its 2022 co-host, the Red Mountain Event Center, had informed it that it wouldn’t host or organize the event this year.
The chamber said the event could still happen if another group stepped up.
The plea led to a lively conversation in comments on the Tri-City Herald’s Facebook page. Commenters suggested moving to a local farm, to Kennewick’s Columbia Park or back to Richland’s Uptown Shopping Center.
Laura Hester, Richland’s parks and facilities director, said the city hopes to retain the Cool Desert Nights brand, as well as its more popular features. It will incorporate it into its own classic car event.
The unnamed Richland car show will be Sept. 8-9 and would be the first in a series of four major events designed to attract visitors from around the country.
She expects as many as 1,000 cars when the first show opens this fall.
It is still working on details, including a name, but will post information to its website: richlandparksandrec.com/
The car show would open with a cruise, as well as picnic and music at John Dam Plaza on Sept. 8, followed by a full-day event on Sept. 9 at the Columbia Point Golf Course.
Cool Desert Nights celebrated its 25th year in 2018, the last year it was organized by the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce. The regional chamber previously said it would drop the car show as it refocused on member priorities.
The West Richland chamber took over in 2019. After a pandemic hiatus, it returned in 2021 in Richland. Last year, Cool Desert Nights merged with Hogs & Dogs to become Speedfest Show & Shine.
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