Get your motor running. Back to the Strip Night is scheduled for this Saturday, May 7.
The fifth annual event will raise funds and gather donations for Warren County Meals on Wheels while giving local residents a chance to wave to their friends and show off their fancy cars.
“Last year was another record-setter for Back to the Strip with over $26,000 raised, including over $7,000 from the car show,” said Rob Nunley, one of the event organizers. “We also collected nearly 3,200 pounds of food.”
Last year’s Back to the Strip also collected almost 1,600 pounds of pet food.
“It’s a new addition to the food drive, but a much-appreciated one,” said Nunley. “Warren County Humane Society and Meals on Wheels have partnered to help feed Meals on Wheels’ clients’ pets. That’s why we started also collecting pet food last year.”
Back to the Strip 2016 begins with a car show at Warren County Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are no judges. Instead, car owners compete by raising money or gathering food (animal food counts). At the end of the car show, those who raise the most are the winners.
To register for the car show, call 668-3372. Entry fees are $10 in advance and $15 the day of the show. Admission into the fairgrounds is free. There will be food vendors, activities and music.
At 5 p.m., the car show wraps up and the Back to the Strip cruise begins. The DJ and food collection moves to Foodland Plus.
McMinnville Police Chief Bryan Denton is encouraging participants to have fun, but within legal limits, when the event moves from private property onto a public street.
“We want people to have a good time, and we wholeheartedly support this event,” said Denton. “We just want it to be a safe, family friendly event that will benefit Meals on Wheels for years to come.”
The department began having a much greater police presence last year in an effort to avoid a tragedy such as a hot rod plowing into a group of spectators due to motorists creating safety concerns by suspending the rules of the road.
“We want to emphasize wearing seatbelts and that children under 12 cannot be in the beds of trucks,” said Denton. “There will be a zero tolerance on burnouts. We are also reminding people that riding on portions of vehicles not intended for passengers won’t be tolerated, such as riding on the hood of the car.”
For more information about Back to the Strip, visit www.backtothestrip.com or call 668-3372 or 607-1105.