17th annual Cars and Guitars coming up Saturday

No awards. No glory. Just great gifts and door prizes.

That’s how Cars and Guitars Inc. is promoting its 17th annual Cars and Guitars event set for 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday in downtown Seymour.

The car show typically draws around 200 vehicles of various makes and models, and organizers said more than 150 people already have preregistered for this year’s show.

“There’s no limit. We’ve got it blocked off pretty far,” Secretary/Treasurer Shawna Boas said of the downtown streets where vehicles will be parked. “We never know how many are going to show up the day of the show.”

While no awards are given during this show, the $20 registration fee includes a T-shirt and a chance to win door prizes, and the first 250 vehicles will receive a dash plaque.

To preregister, call Boas at 812-216-1112 or Darrin Boas, president of Cars and Guitars Inc., at 812-216-8131. Checks should be made payable to Cars and Guitars Inc.

Preregistered parking will start at noon in front of the Jackson County Public Library with parking for day-of-show registrants to follow. All makes and models are welcome.

One of the door prizes is A Stroll Through Seymour with a value of $500. It features gift certificates from downtown businesses, including $100 from Vat and Barrel and $100 from Rails Craft Brew and Eatery. Shawna said her thought process behind that prize was a date night for two couples.

Another door prize is a set of tires from Seymour Tire and Service with a value of $400, and Guardian Bikes, a new company coming to Seymour, has donated one of its bicycles.

For the concert side of the event, Elvis tribute artist Tyler Christopher will perform at Cars and Guitars for the first time. The concert is from 6 to 8 p.m. on a stage set up on South Chestnut Street near JCBank. People are invited to bring their lawn chairs.

“He’s ranked really high up. They do competitions all the time. These Elvis tribute artists will compete, and he’s like fourth place in the world,” Shawna said. “I’ve watched his videos on YouTube, and he’s very talented. It’ll be really fun.”

The concert is sponsored by FPBH Inc., Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 655, Schneck Medical Center and Old National Bank.

Admission to the car show and concert is free, but T-shirts, created by Seymour High School’s Owl Manufacturing, will be available for purchase for $15.

The shirts and a silent auction will be located at Second and Chestnut streets, and that’s also where people will pick up door prizes. Shawna said the silent auction includes around a dozen items, including another Guardian bicycle.

The Rolling Pig Pin and Kona Ice food trucks also will be set up at Burkhart Plaza for people to make food and drink purchases.

Downtown restaurants and businesses are being encouraged to remain open during Cars and Guitars, too.

“All of the downtown businesses have been told what’s going on, and a lot of them have talked about staying open later,” Shawna said. “A lot of the retailers will stay open longer because there is a lot of people downtown, and they are going to want to grab drinks.”

Proceeds from Cars and Guitars are used to purchase handicap-accessible playground equipment for Seymour parks.

Since the event’s inception, Shawna said more than $90,000 has been raised to buy equipment. The next piece to be added is a We-Go-Round.

“It’s a merry-go-round that a child or an adult in a wheelchair can get on along with other children so they can ride it together,” Shawna said. “It costs over $11,000, so it may take us a year or two to get that one.”

Cars and Guitars is one of the larger events that draws people downtown, and Darrin said the committee is looking forward to seeing everyone.

The other committee member is Vice President Kelly Pifer.

“If anyone else wants to join the board, we’re always welcoming new members,” Shawna said. “We have a lot of help for the day of the show. We just don’t have help year-round to get it planned.”

If you go 

What: 17th annual Cars and Guitars car show and concert

When: 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Downtown Seymour streets

Who: Open to the public; Elvis tribute artist Tyler Christopher will perform from 6 to 8 p.m.

Cost: Admission is free; the cost to enter a vehicle in the car show is $20 (preregister by calling Shawna Boas at 812-216-1112 or Darrin Boas at 812-216-8131 or register the day of the event starting at noon in front of the Jackson County Public Library); make checks payable to Cars and Guitars Inc.

Other details: T-shirts available for $15, silent auction and The Rolling Pig Pin and Kona Ice food trucks

Information: facebook.com/Cars-and-Guitars-Seymour-Indiana-112048374460229