What started as a random Facebook post has now grown into Upper Valley Cars & Coffee, a free local car show and community event that will host its second edition on Sunday at PowerHouse Mall in West Lebanon.
Upper Valley Cars & Coffee is owned by Chris Hatch, 43, of Hartland, and Samantha Rice, 42, of Hartford, works with public relations and organizing. It was initially spawned by Hatch’s effort to help his son Brayden and his friends.
“My son, who is 17 years old, and some of his friends just wanted to have like a local car show where they didn’t have to travel to Manchester or Boston,” Hatch said.
So, Hatch posted in a local Facebook group to gauge people’s thoughts on a local car show, not expecting an outpouring of interest.
He woke up the next morning and, while getting ready for work, checked the post and realized he had more than 150 responses and 70 messages.
All of which were: “People interested, hoping I was going to do it,” Hatch said. “They’ve been hoping something like that was going to happen in the Upper Valley.”
Hatch’s post appeared in May, and Upper Valley Cars & Coffee had its first event at PowerHouse Mall last month. The inaugural show featured about 150 cars and, at times, around 250 spectators checking out the area.
Tracey Hewes, 52, of Lebanon, who has known Hatch for years, attended the first event and said he was impressed by its organization and also what it does for local car enthusiasts.
“It drew a lot more people than we really anticipated, which was very encouraging because I think the car show, car culture scene has taken its lumps over the last few years,” he said, as rising costs around the country have made it difficult to invest in hobbies.
He also brought his ride — a 2007 Honda S2000, which he described as “one of those bucket list vehicles.”
“I’ve always really liked it; I always really wanted one — I had the opportunity to get one a couple of years ago,” he said. He’s made some changes to it, such as the wheels, and added a wing and a stereo system.
“It’s a really, really fun car to drive,” he said.
At Sunday’s event, Hewes plans to bring his recently acquired 1985 Chevrolet Suburban; the ’07 Honda could also make another appearance.
“It’s not like a really, really fancy rig,” he said of the Chevy. “I always tell people it’s a 10-footer; when you look at it from 10 feet or further away, it looks great. If you get up too close, you’re going to start seeing some of the blemishes, but I feel that that’s part of the character that goes along with it.”
Doug Josler, 58, from White River Junction, also attended the first event along with his 85-year-old father, William, and both enjoyed it.
“It was great — good hometown people, a lot of people we knew from different car events, a lot of variety, a ton of different vehicles,” the younger Josler said.
Josler’s father brought a 1932 Ford B79 Deluxe Panel Delivery, while Josler himself brought a 1998 Jeep Cherokee. That Jeep, previously a show car, was originally from Georgia, and he bought it locally to add to his collection of about 25 cars.
“My Dad probably has over 125, I would say — it’s kind of an addiction kind of a thing,” he said with a chuckle.
On Sunday, Josler will cruise to the event in his 2002 Honda Acura race car, which has run at Daytona International Speedway, Watkins Glen International and other notable tracks.
“It just brings the whole Upper Valley together and beyond,” Josler said of the events. “Cars were coming out of Burlington; cars were coming from 100 miles away to go to this event.”
Peanut Gray, 62, of Canaan brought his 1957 Chevrolet 3100 to the first event. The vehicle holds extra meaning for Gray, who said his grandfather drove him around in a truck just like it, and he and his son Chris spent a year and a half working on it.
“It was a very good truck from California, but we completely tore it apart, replaced everything on the truck. … I mean, just did the whole deal to it,” he said.
“It’s a very nice truck; we’re very proud of it and got a lot of compliments, so it makes it even that much nicer to be able to share it with other people.”
He will bring the Chevy to Sunday’s event, and while cars are a big draw, Gray said, “They had good doughnuts and coffee also.”
As part of its events, Upper Valley Cars & Coffee partners with Lou & Dyl’s Desserts, a mobile business offering coffee and gelato, among other items. People can also participate in raffles to win prizes, including gift cards from local businesses.
Part of the raffle proceeds goes toward the Hartford Area Career and Technology Center, where Hatch’s son is part of the Autobody, Motorsports and Customs program.
Hatch said he hopes Sunday’s turnout will surpass that of the first edition.
Round two of Upper Valley Cars & Coffee runs from 8 to 11 a.m. on Sunday.
