Downtown Car Show Draws Cars, Fans
Sep 17, 2019 02:48PM ● By Jeanne FratelloDowntown Manhattan Beach was practically a parking lot on Sunday - and we're not talking about the typical beach traffic. More than 150 classic cars lined Manhattan Ave. for the second annual Downtown Manhattan Beach Car Show, benefiting the Manhattan Beach Police K-9 Foundation.
This year's show, building on the success of last year's inaugural event, was successful even beyond the organizers' expectations.
"It was only our
second year hosting a car show, and our first time down on Manhattan Ave.,
so we weren’t quite sure what to expect," said Officer David Gibbons of MBPD's K-9 unit. "The support from the car
owners, local businesses, and all the people
who came to check everything out was great."
Gibbons said that while all of the tallies have not been finalized, the event raised approximately $10,000 for the MBPD K-9 Foundation. Organizers charged $30 per car to register, and also sold MBPD K-9 commemorative merchandise at the event.
Among the highlights of the exotic and classic cars were the MBPD SWAT team vehicle (which spectators could climb inside); a 1954 Hawthorne police vehicle; a "Jurassic Park" themed SUV; and a classic BMW Isetta, known as the "refrigerator car" with the door opening in the front.
This year, the Downtown Manhattan Beach Business and Professionals Association joined in on the event and brought in many downtown businesses. Spectators were encouraged to enter a scavenger hunt through participating downtown stores to find the stuffed animal versions of Koa and Nero, MBPD's K-9 heroes.
The downtown business association also hosted a "puppy party" - a fenced-in area where kids and adults could play with a pack of puppies. The real-life Koa and Nero also made an appearance with their handlers.
2nd Annual Downtown Manhattan Beach Car Show [19 Images]
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