Thousands of spectators came out to enjoy the 57th Annual Easter Vintage Car Parade on Sunday, an event hosted by the Garden City Chamber of Commerce.
The car show that preceded the parade proved to be entertaining for all ages. Kids danced to the beat of the Banjo Rascals ragtime music, as car enthusiasts shared their passion with the crowds. A colorful array of classic cars – a number of them adorned with decorations from Easter eggs to Easter bunnies – filled the lot this year. Some drivers and passengers along the parade route wore their Easter hats for the celebration.
“I’ve been doing this parade for nine years; it’s a lot of fun,” said Tim Etienne, a 10-year resident of Garden City and owner of a 1961 Ford Econoline Truck. “My four young daughters woke up early this year to tape streamers and decorate the truck, they love it and I can’t stop them!”
Stanley Sokel of Floral Park meticulously waxed his 1950 Mercury two-door coupe as people looked on. “I like to come here to look at the other cars…they represent a special period of life, and I seem to be lost in the 1950s,” he joked.
John Karaba, a member of the Long Island VW Club, brought his 1963 Karmann Ghia from Huntington. “It’s a great place see club members from year to year. I appreciate the old cars, too; my heart just pounds when I see them; it’s this gene I have I guess.”
Maria Mucaria Stankowski explained the appeal of the parade as she stood by her convertible Beetle. “It’s a unique event because it’s Easter, it’s a combined car show and parade, and it is very festive,” she said.
The parade route was packed with families who came out to enjoy the sights and the sunshine as hundreds of vintage cars made their way down Franklin Avenue.
One spectator observed, “The cars in this parade are beauties you don’t normally see on Long Island.”
