RODS ON THE RIVER

A Look Back at the 2006 Strawberry Festival in Dayton, Tennessee

Every year in May, the Tennessee Valley is filled with travelers and neighbors from the surrounding areas who come to celebrate the Strawberry Festival. In 2006, the 59th annual Strawberry Festival, called the Strawberry Stampede, was a huge success, with literally thousands of people filling the streets and flocking to the festivities. That year’s festival was particularly important, as it was our second year of attending but the first in which The Auto Builder could actually involve itself. We sponsored the Friday cruise portion of the weeklong festival, which we called the Rods On The River. Every year on the Friday before the Strawberry parade, classic cars, trucks, street rods and hot rods flock to the historic district of Dayton. Come 5:00 p.m. the city closes the main streets so that all the hot rods can park.

The Auto Builder Debuts Rods on the River Car Show

The Auto Builder put a twist on an old tradition with the addition of a car show that started mid-morning. The first annual Rods on the River turned out to be quite a success for a first-time event. Carrie Hassler and Dead Rain provided live music that was enjoyed by all, and The Auto Builder supplied barbecue and beverages for those who registered and were on hand in time for lunch. The Auto Builder’s own Jim Dalton designed custom billet trophies for the show, and John Dianna awarded them to eight lucky participants. The show began in the early morning with beautiful weather that couldn’t have been nicer had we ordered it firsthand. High 60s and low 70s made it absolutely perfect to be by the water, and the beautiful surroundings made it that much more pleasant.

A Diverse Display of Classic and Modern Cars

There was a great turnout with enough diversity for everybody. The Mopar guys came out, as did the street rods and classic trucks. The show had everything from Model As to import tuners. The lake provided the perfect place, and the flawless green lawn was a pleasant place to be for an early morning car show. Starting at around 10:00 a.m. and lasting well into the night, the event went perfectly.

Cruise-In Tradition Highlights a Memorable Weekend

Late that afternoon, everyone cruised over to town where the annual cruise-in took place. Cars lined the streets and fun was had by all. The Auto Builder Big Rig was displayed with a few of Dianna’s cars, which included a ’58 Pontiac wagon, a ’49 Olds fastback, his Lil’ Buck ’32 sedan and his ’34 Vicky. The crew from Coker brought an 18-wheeler, which displayed a few rides of their own, including a totally unrestored ’55 Chevy Bel Air hardtop and Old Indy Racer, which Corky likes to take on the Great American Race, along with a neat old white truck with kerosene-burning headlamps. The weekend went well, and we were already making plans for the following year. It was laid-back, fun, and a memorable chapter in the history of The Auto Builder’s involvement in community events.