'The streets are going to be full': Chatham’s RetroFest revving up for weekend return

Ron Vandewynckel, vice-president of the Kent Historic Auto Club stands with his 1964 Chrysler convertible. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

Thousands of people are expected to be in Canada’s Classic Car Capital this weekend as Chatham, Ont.’s RetroFest returns in-person on Friday.

The annual event draws hundreds of classic car enthusiasts to the downtown core with organizers expecting upwards of 600 vehicles to take part.

“As far as we're concerned, it's one of the best events in Ontario,” said Ron Vandewynckel, vice-president of the Kent Historic Auto Club on Thursday.

“Chatham’s one of the first car shows for the car show season,” Vandewynckle explained. “So we're anticipating cars coming from all over Ontario and Michigan so it's going to be a big deal Friday and Saturday.”

The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was presented virtually in 2021.

“The streets are going to be full of cars and people,” Vandewynckle promised. “It's going to be just a great event all the way around.”

The auto club and Historic Downtown Chatham Business Improvement Association (BIA) are working together to put the event on.

“We're extremely excited to have everybody come out downtown and have a good time,” said Connie Beneteau of the BIA. “We do expect it to be very, very busy. So pack your patience because I think it'll be shoulder-to-shoulder people this year.”

Beneteau told CTV News the free event is fun for all ages, with live entertainment and rides in Tecumseh Park during both days.

“The rides in Tecumseh Park end at 6 p.m. on both days. Don't be disappointed by coming too late,” Beneteau added. “We'll have a beverage garden but it'll be a family friendly beverage garden so that your kids can go in with you as well but only the adults of course will be getting the bands to be able to purchase alcohol.”

Chatham-Kent Tourism officials say the in-person return is highly anticipated noting overnight accommodations at some hotels have booked completely.

“If you need a room for this weekend, I would say absolutely call around right now. You could be out of luck in some places though,” said Tourism Development Manager Shannon Paiva regarding events held in previous years, where 30,000 people typically make their way downtown during the two-day event.

“We are talking about thousands of dollars being spent in Chatham-Kent just over two days which we absolutely love to see,” Paiva added.

Pavia said more classic car events are scheduled throughout the summer, and that if people can’t make it to this weekend’s event, then there will be plenty more to choose from later this summer.

“We're thrilled to have events back in Chatham-Kent in person being the Classic Car Capital of Canada so to speak, having RetroFest in person bringing and seeing the thousands of people that we know have been waiting for two years to come back to this means a lot — not just to us in Chatham-Kent tourism as we are excited to see people — but to those within the municipality who are business owners in tourism, the restauranteurs, the accommodations. We're talking about bringing money back that you know hasn't been there for two years,” said Pavia.

The Friday night Maple Mutual Insurance Classic Car Cruise will start staging at 4:30 p.m. at the John D. Bradley Centre on Richmond Street. The cars will take off at 6 p.m. under the guidance of the Kent Historic Auto Club.

Car Registrations for the Kent Historic Auto Club Car Show Saturday, is now closed. But you can register the day of the show at the corner of King and 5th Street between 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Vehicles must be 25 years or older to participate in both the car cruise and the car show. No registration is required for the cruise but you will only be staged if you are 1997 or older. 

More information can be found on the event website.