Cairo car rally revs up today

May 7, 2009

Anonymous The Times Enterprise Thu May 07, 2009, 11:05 PM EDT

Staff report

THOMASVILLE —The 21st annual Great Southern Antique Car Rally revs up today in Cairo.

About 150 cars are currently expected for the weekend, according to an event news release from the Cairo-Grady County Chamber of Commerce.

The rally begins with an 8 p.m. parade down Broad Street of antique cars and street rods. Cars must be 25 years or older and this year’s featured car is the Chevy Camaro.

The Zebulon Theater snack bar will be open before and during the parade to sell soft drinks and theater popcorn.

Immediately following the parade is a street dance on South Broad Street featuring the “Just Us” band.

On Saturday, some of the cars will participate in a 9 a.m. poker rally on county roads. Vehicles will also be on display in Davis Park behind the library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Whigham Community Club will be serving refreshments for the participants at the midpoint in the poker rally Saturday.

Trophies will be given in a 2 p.m. awards ceremony for the following categories: Best Feature Car, Best GM, Best Ford, Best Mopar, Best Foreign Car, Best Modified, and Oldest Car.

The Cairo Antique Auto Museum will also be open Saturday afternoon to participants.

The Cairo Rotary Club will feed participants a barbecue dinner today and the Cairo Kiwanis Club is serving registrants breakfast Saturday; Saturday lunch is a hamburger cookout by the chamber.

Registration is 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. today at the Grady Cultural Center. It is $50 for the weekend, but there are reduced rates for participation only in certain activities.

The first 100 registered receive a goodie bag filled with gifts from Grady County and a metal dash plaque.

Door prizes from local merchants will be given away during the Friday dinner.

The event is a fund-raiser for the chamber.

For more information, call the Cairo-Grady County Chamber of Commerce at 377-3663.