On Saturday June 16th 2012 at the Georgia World Congress Center car lovers and bike aficionados alike came to gawk at nearly 25,000 square feet of custom and specialty cars-the more outlandish-the better! The event is in its 9th year was present by V-103 and WAOK, and boasted an impressive celebrity and concert lineup including event host, Tyrese, as well as special musical performances by T-Pain, R. Kelly and the O.M.G Girls. However it was the multitude of Atlanta families that came out this year that pushed the event’s numbers (a rumored 36,000 for the ENTIRE day) above and beyond projections and attendance in years past.
In addition to the cars and concert the event offered several family-friendly booths, vendors and entertainment for adults and kids alike. You could come to the show and not be interested in cars and still have a great time due to the overwhelming grandiose of the event’s sponsors. The Mountain Dew Street Alley was one of the most popular venues of the day with free soda samplings of their brands most popular sodas; Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, Pepsi (why spend $4 on a beverage?) and a basketball arcade. Verizon Wireless also offered a 4G themed video game in their tent, as well as a chance to win Verizon gift cards and prizes.
For the adults the GME Sports Lounge (named after the full-service restaurant of the same name on Martin Luther King Drive) offered a welcome respite and a place to sit down, park the stroller and enjoy the food and drink Papa John’s pizza and other local restaurants like the Atlanta Grill offered. The event also offered many additional “kid-friendly” items such as hot dogs, pretzels, and cotton candy. The hot wing bar was the most popular with the adults.
Local charity “Egypt Cares Family Foundation” offered the most popular entertainment–free face painting for the kids. The booth was swarmed by teens and tots while nearby parents could take in the free concert on the State Farm Music Stage. The Foundation asked for a suggested donation in order to help support their cause; helping families towards financial literacy, health awareness and higher education.
Everywhere I looked I saw smiling faces—people taking pictures with their favorite cars (My favorite area was the Butler Tires Celebrity Row, in which each car corresponded with the celebrity who donated it). The event also offered the chance for youngsters to mingle and get autographs from Atlanta area celebrities such as Tia Norfleet, the only African American Female Licensed Racecar Driver and up-and-coming pop music group “The Socialitez”. For those hoping to get a glimpse of international stars like T-Pain and more, the Car and Bike show offered a rare opportunity for fans to see these guys up close in a smaller venue—worth much more than the ticket price, in my opinion!
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