A record number of cars, attendees, and a $1,000 50/50 payout!

Dateline: 8.8.2022 Photos by K. Scott Teeters, except where noted – Lake Country Cruisers has expanded our horizons. Last year, after nearly two decades of service, Bob Larson retired as the Caladium Festival Car & Bike Show Chairman. Pete Richie stepped forward and said, “Well then, I’ll do it.” and Ron Ellerman and I said, “We’re with you too, Pete!”

In the last twelve months, Pete, Ron, and I have managed ten car shows; the 2021 Independence Day and the Labor Day shows at The Journal Plaza, adjacent to Wet Dogs Brewing; plus eight shows at the Lake Placid America Legion. While the Caladium Festival Car & Bike Show was a bigger event, we were confident.

By all accounts, this year’s Caladium Car & Bike Show was a HUGE success. According to Jerry Meisenheimer of the Highlands News-Sun report, there were a record-number 280 cars, trucks, and motorcycles stuffed into the Devanne Park, in beautiful downtown Lake Placid. Jerry reported, “The best word to describe the July 30^th event is, “WOW”.

Very few cars entered the show with only one person, so we can safely estimate that between the vehicles, owners, friends, and Caladium Festival attendees, we most likely had nearly 600 people at the show!

***The lovely Lass next to Ben is Miss Florida USA, Taylor Fulford.***

Registration started at 7:00 AM and it wasn’t long before it was party time. “DJ Ben” of GNr Entertainment kept the event hop’n & bop’n to the Oldies and some newer tunes. Ben has a great DJ-type personality and at times, it was like hearing an old AM radio rock’n roll station.

The weather was, well, as usual, hot; in the low 90s, but there was a nice breeze, brilliant blue skies, bright-white puffy clouds, and enough shade from the Devanne Park’s trees.

The gals running the Beer Tent did their best to keep everyone’s thirst quenched, as well as doing a fantastic job selling 50/50 tickets. We are thrilled to tell you that this years Caladium Festival Car & Bike Show 50/50 winner took home $1,000 CASH! At the end of the show, just before we called the Best In Show Winner, Lake Country Elementary third-grade student Adeline Campbell pulled the winning ticket.

**The big caladium leaf was the 2022 Best In Show trophy and was hand-made by Metal Arts Creations in Lake Placid.**

For this year’s show, we decided instead of brass-plated plastic trophies we would have etched wooden plaques. The Lake Placid Police Chief Award went to Dennis Uerling for his 1966 Pontiac Tempest.

But the “Really Big Shew” was winner Bill Weaver of Winter Haven. Bill took home the Best In Show, hand-made, metal caladium trophy for his 1951 International pickup truck, a sweetheart of a machine! The truck was originally owned by Bill’s grandfather and became his in 1974.

We’re sure that Bill’s grandfather is looking down on his grandson and happy that his ol’ pickup is a show winner! The unique Caladium Leaf trophy was hand-made by Metal Art Creations co-owner, JL.

A BIG THANKS to all of our volunteers, as well as Jennifer Bush and the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce team for pulling off a delightful event that was attended by people from far and wide. And thanks to the twenty-six local small businesses for donating to the show.

For everyone that attended, thanks for being with us. I don’t recall the last time I saw so many happy faces in one place. Cars, trucks, and motorcycles can bring out the best in people! See you at next year’s 2023 Caladium Festival Car & Bike Show – Scott, Pete, & Ron