AFTER a 16-year absence of car shows, the Lions Club of Amanzimtoti decided to bring car culture back into town, calling on petrol-heads from all over KZN to show off their rides at the Amanzimtoti Civic Centre on September 7.

Also read: Amanzimtoti’s Sadie Brijmohan hits big screen

Aptly dubbed “Cars by the River”, the cars ranged from vintage and pre-war to American muscle, pristine restorations, modern marvels and motorbikes to sports cars.

Lions president, Chris Stange, thanked Peter Brown and Hypersure Insurance, Sapphire Coast Tourism and local car enthusiast Barry Liggins for making the event possible.

Taking shape as a good old-fashioned car meet, car owners and car club members lounged and talked shop as visitors and lovers of all things automobile admired the beauty, engineering, design and history behind around 125 cars and 25 bikes which populated spots across the field and along the river bank.

The event was well-supported and the public were spoilt for choice with 50 outdoor stalls offering a wide variety of foods and wares. The divas indoor flea market was a hit, serving up a gin bar and art exhibition, as well as several ways to be pampered.

Stange said car clubs were handed goodie bags, and entrants to the car show attended a prize giving ceremony for various car categories. Liggins, Trevour Warmback and Duncan Dos Reis made up the judging panel, ranking the cars on show across 10 categories. Honours for the best car of the show went to a Chevrolet Impala, which wowed the judging panel.

Stange thanked all who attended and supported the show, and said it will definitely be on the calendar for next year, with aims to make it bigger and better.

Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.