Genuine car enthusiasts seldom get enough of admiring vehicles and talking “shop.” That’s why Carl Ulmer and Steve Wallace, along with Brent Teague, have brainstormed to present Cars and Coffee every third Saturday morning through October at the Hitching Lot Farmers Market in downtown Columbus. Car owners are invited to bring their automobiles to display, and farmers market visitors are treated to a mini car show. The next Cars and Coffee is set for July 21 from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the market located at Second Street and Second Avenue North. Farmers market vendors will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
“I’ve always had old cars, and I’ve never outgrown it,” said Wallace of Columbus. The first Cars and Coffee held in May at CJ’s Pizza on 18th Avenue North attracted more than 40 vehicles and stretched space limits. “We had a good time at the first one and thought we’d see if we could have it at the farmers market,” Wallace added.
While large auto shows may require an all-day commitment from car owners, Cars and Coffee is a more relaxed occasion.
“They can come and go as they please. We give away free coffee and doughnuts to people who bring cars,” said Ulmer who is active in the Southern Cruisers Car Club. He has also helped spearhead car shows for Caledonia Days, Cruisin’ the River and Prairie Arts Festival. The smaller-scale Cars and Coffee, he continued, gives people with a busy day an opportunity to still indulge in car-talk and fellowship. It also adds another attraction to the farmers market.
Main Street Columbus Executive Director Barbara Bigelow said, “We’re pleased Cars and Coffee will be displaying their distinctive classes of vehicles during the market. Car enthusiasts will be able to view many unique and immaculately-kept automobiles.”
She urged market visitors to not only admire the cars, but chat with owners who are eager to talk about the vehicles as well as the Southern Cruisers Car Club.
Ulmer said, “We’ve had anything from a 1934 Ford Roadster to a 2017 Dodge Challenger Hellcat. If you’re a car enthusiast, it doesn’t matter if it’s a classic antique or a modern sports car, if you appreciate tinkering with your car — or motorcycle — and like to show it off, bring it out.”
Bigelow added, “After viewing these beauties, we invite everyone to check out our awesome vendors at the Hitching Lot Farmers Market, where you’ll find local, homegrown, nutritious produce, baked goods and even hand-crafted items.”
Cars and Coffee dates
Car owners are invited to bring their vehicles to Cars and Coffee at the farmers market July 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 15 and Oct. 20, 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
For more information, contact Ulmer at [email protected] or 662-574-2678.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.