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Tag: Vintage Cars

My Early 1900s Vintage Car Show Adventure

This past weekend I was very lucky to be able to attend an amazing event called “The Old Car Festival” at the Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village in Detroit Michigan area. I attended this event with my family and met up with some vintage friends from the Toronto area as well, so it was a great little group that went.

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Musuem
Image courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

All I can say about this event is this…YOU MUST GO NEXT YEAR! No seriously if you live in Michigan, Ontario, or can drive or fly then you must go! I had so much fun and I did not even do half of what my friends did who attended the whole weekend.

First up there were early 1900 vintage cars..everywhere like as far as the eye could see and ranged in age from the early 1900’s right up to the early 1930’s.

1902 vintage car
That handle in the middle is how you drove the car. I prefer a steering wheel I think
Old Fashion Car Show-Greenfield Village
Old Fashion Car Show-Greenfield Village
Yours truly looking sooo not early 1900s 🙂
Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes
Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes
Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Dean Villafuerte

My FAVORITE CAR of all time from the show! Pierce Arrow!

A Pierce-Arrow was a status symbol, owned by many Hollywood stars and tycoons. Most of the royalty of the world had at least one Pierce-Arrow in its collection. So dreamy…..

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Old car festival-Henry ford museum

There were so many cars there, that there was major street congestion as well! Traffic jam 1910 style!

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum

If driving a car was not your style, you could have also rode a vintage bike. I love these ladies such style.

Old Car Festival Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

It’s a Bike Gang! How does one ride a bike like that??

Old Car Festival Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Dean Villafuerte

There was also a couple of vintage trains that you could have taken a trip around the park on. Next year I’m doing this!

Vintage Train-Greenfield Village

After all that car, bike and train viewing one is bound to get hungry and the village had lots of options but the best one by far was the Eagle Tavern. A real tavern from the 1800’s that was moved to the village many years ago.

Eagle Tavern-Greenfield Village
Greenfield Village-Henry Ford Museum
The family waiting to be called in for lunch-Eclectic bunch they are 🙂

You ate by candle light, sat in old wood chairs (ohhh my bum), were served by waiters and waitress in period dress and even had your name called to your table by the town crier.

Greenfield Village-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

The coolest part of my lunch experience (beyond the delish food) was the Greenfield village beer with my name on it!

Greenfield Village Beer-Old Liz
Hey that’s me! Who are you calling old?

After we ate, we went and saw some lovely singers, sing songs from the 1920s. My favorite was the “Irving Berlin” melody.

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

Then we wandered around some more and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the festival.

Greenfield village-carousel
Took a ride on the Carousal
Greenfield Village
Enjoying the pretty views

We also admired the fashions that were in attendance. There was some dapper men (aka my friend Dean).

Old Car festival-Henry ford museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

How wonderful are these men? and Dean of course 🙂

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Musem
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

The other Dapper Canadian man on this trip, Geoffrey Holmes.

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Dean

A favorite of mine…the cutest vintage sailor boys….ever!

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

There were also gorgeous ladies as well like my beautiful friend Amanda.

Her dress was made by her mother (I believe) and is just wonderful and I adore it on her.

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

Then we all managed to find each other for a lovely vintage group photo (excuse my 40s wear, I really have nothing 1920s).

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

After all the picture-taking it was time to find a spot for the Big Band dance and the parade of vintage cars with their gas lights on.

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

It was truly magical and then we got to dance to this amazing band! The beautiful woman in the pink had the most gorgeous voice.

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

Then we danced as the cars drove by.

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

A great shot of Dean and I making magic on the dance floor..aka the road.

Liz Clothing Note: I’m wearing a vintage 1940s day dress that I recently purchased from “The Best Vintage Clothing” online store. I adore this dress so much. It also has buttons down the back.

OLd Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

I got to dance with all the men! Lucky me 🙂 Geoff and I cutting a rug as they used to say back in the day.

Old Car Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Dean Villafuerte

Lastly all good things must come to an end with fireworks.

Old Far Festival-Henry Ford Museum
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Holmes

And then we went home tired but happy 🙂

I hope you enjoyed my little post on my fantastic adventure this weekend and hopefully if you live near by, you can join us next year!

I will now leave you with a great video that Geoff created of the weekend (near the end you can catch me swing dancing).

Liz 🙂

My VIVA Las Vegas Vacation-Day 4 (Saturday)

This is a continuation post on my recent trip to Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend #17. You can see Wednesday, Thursday, Friday by clicking on the day.

Saturday is Car Show day and BIG Car Show musical act day as well. My favorite day!

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly weekend 17

This year the acts playing at the car show were:

Imelda May (headliner)

Imelda May Viva Las Vegas 17

 

Lloyd Price

Lloyd Price Viva Las Vegas 17

 

There was also the Rockats who I saw last year and were awesome. Robert Gordon, Los Straitjackets, The Aquasonics Surf Band, and the Trashmen also took the stages at the Car show and I heard were fantastic. So lots of music to be had at the car show this year.

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 17
Friends enjoying the car show concert

I was really excited about Imelda and Lloyd and could not wait for when they took the stage. I have seen Imelda in Toronto and she was outstanding live so I was looking forward to seeing her play some of her new music and to a larger super excited crowd. I also LOVE the car show (I always see about 10 cars I want to take home lol) and the shopping that is to be had there as well so Saturday is my favorite day. BUT Sadly though I was still not 100% after getting food poisoning the night before so my favorite day was cut in half. I have limited personal pictures of the car show (I look like death) but a big thank you to my friends for documenting Saturday so I could show you it all here (Thank YouDean Villafuerte, Stephanie, and Liisa).

The Vintage Cars

Viva Rockabilly weekend 17 car show

Viva Rockabilly weekend 17 car show

Viva Rockabilly weekend 17 car show

Viva Rockabilly weekend 17 car show

Viva Rockabilly weekend 17 car show

Viva Rockabilly weekend 17 car show

 

Shopping (the one and only semi okay picture of me before I hid in the room till Lloyd and part of Imelda) 

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 17

 

My friends doing the shopping I wish I was doing with them.

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 17

 

Yup that is the right hair flower for you Vanessa 🙂 Gosh I have gorgeous friends!

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 17

 

Hair Pomade anyone?

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend 17

 

By the time the evening rolled around I was in much better shape and felt good enough to put on my vintage 1940s long gown and make myself look somewhat decent. Why? Because….The JIVE ACES were taking the stage in the main Ballroom and I was NOT going to miss this band.

 

Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend # 17
So Happy! to have colour back in my face again 🙂

 

We then saw Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers and Gizzelle before jetting off to see another personal favorite band of mine “Jittery Jack with Miss Amy” from Boston! The Toronto Gang LOVES Jittery Jack and so we were out in full force to support their show and we were not disappointed.

And that my friends was the end of my Saturday at VIVA 17. Stay tuned for one more post on Sunday, when I was feeling 100% back to my old self!

Other Viva Posts: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday

Liz 🙂