Belmont Shore Car Show Returning

Long Beach will soon be lining up hundreds of motorized classic cars along its streets, as the city welcomes back its 33rd Annual Belmont Shore Car Show. For decades, this public event has been known as one of the largest classic car shows in the West Coast, stretching across 14 blocks with vehicles ranging from hot rods, custom projects, exotics, and many more.

“It [Belmont Shore Car Show] is one of the largest cars shows ever on the West Coast. We shut down all of Belmont Shore, from Livingston to Bay Shore, with Cars and Food Vendors across the whole way,” said JP Zentgraf, a local realtor in Long Beach, as well as the lead organizer for the event. “We’re having almost 700 cars come and attend the car show, as well as about 75 food vendors.”

According to Zengraf, this year’s car show will be different compared to previous years, as the show will be welcoming what Zentgraf calls “mid-modern classics.” Something he says will be a first in the car show’s history.

“The biggest thing for this year’s car show, is that we’re opening up the show to newer-looking cars to be registered,” said Zentgraf. “Traditionally the show was exclusive only to cars that were made prior to 1975, and this year we’re going to be including mid-modern classics – cars from the 80s and 90s. We’ll also, of course, have the pre-1975 hot rods in the show, as well as a lot of trucks.”

 Many different car clubs from across California are expected to attend this year’s car show, according to Zentgraf. The car clubs attending will include but are not limited to: Sultans Car Club, Mercifuls So. Cal, Surf City Classics, and Monarchs South Bay.

“We’re inviting all the local car clubs to come out and participate,” said Zengraf. “We’re also looking to have the local clubs to attend not just this year, but for the next few years as well.”

Outside of classic cars and hot rods as far as the eye can see, Zentgraf says there is also going to be other exciting things for for attendees to look forward to, including live music, Hot Wheel racing, and even hands-on pinstriping and welding demonstrations.

There will also be a plethora of awards given out to the cars and car clubs attending the show, including the award for “Best in Show.”

“There will be thirty total awards that will be given out at the car show, including ones for ‘Top Ten,’ ‘Best in Show,’ and ‘Largest Car Club Attendance.’” said Zentgraf.

For those visiting the Belmont Shore Car Show for the first time, Zentgraf hopes to make the experience one that attendees will be sure to remember, as well as an opportunity to highlight everything that makes up Long Beach’s culture – From its classic car scene, to its local businesses that operate in the city.

“I want to make this a car show that focuses on car culture, by incorporating all the different styles of cars out there” said Zentgraf. “Traditionally at these types of shows, you’re not going to see low riders, for example. Whereas for me, we have a giant low rider scene in Long Beach, and they’re a big part of our culture.”

Zentgraf continued: “I also want to make this show more Long Beach-based by working with local vendors and businesses. We’re expecting twenty-thousand people to from out the area to attend, so what I really want to do is expose the Long Beach scene to all these people.

The Belmont Shore Car Show will officially take place on Sunday, Sept. 8. The event will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information on the car show, including how to register your own classic car, or how to register as a vendor, you can visit https://belmontshorecarshow.com.