The Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute, 1964 W. 162nd St. in Gardena, will present its first annual Car Show on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Gardena once had a thriving car culture with people having not only the well-known muscle cars, such as the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, Chrysler, but also modified foreign makes such as the Datsun 510s/240z and Toyota Celica. With a mix of today’s versions of these cars and others, GVJCI would like to bring back fond memories of yesteryear and show how this car culture continues today.
In addition to the cars, the event will include an open Pinewood Derby race and free games for the kids, an indoor vendor area, and the Shack on Wheels food truck featuring the famous Tommy’s Chili Burgers. Okamoto Kitchen and Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream will also be on site.
There are 24 open spots for the Pinewood Derby Race. All racers will receive a complimentary lapel pin. There will be trophies for first, second and third place. The competitive race will be followed by an open race for anyone who wants to participate. Cars will be available for those who wish to race but have no car.
General admission is $15. Tickets can be ordered online for $10 through Aug. 15.
This is a cashless event; credit and debit cards accepted. Some vendors may accept cash.
For more information, call (310) 324-6611, email info@jci-gardena.org or visit jci-gardena.org.