Join us for Woodies on the Wharf
10 a.m.-4 p.m., June 23, 2012
Santa Cruz Wharf
It’s the 18th annual Surf City Classic: Woodies on the Wharf! Northern California’s largest woodie show that features more than 200 stylish, pre-1952 wood-bodied cars. Admission is free! Music, woodie goodies and prize drawings will add to the fun. Plus free bike valet is available. More information is available at SantaCruzWharf.com.
WOW Posters Now and Then
WOW Photos
Below are links to slideshows from past events. For more, visit the Media Gallery.
History of Woodies on the Wharf
This all began in 1993, when just a few members comprised the Santa Cruz Woodies were a fledgling chapter of the National Woodie Club. Likely because of the natural tie-in to the local surfing community, wherever the club members’ cars were parked, a crowd of onlookers could easily be found.
The group had participated in events with the woodies at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and the cars were always met with enthusiasm, so it was decided to put on an event for Santa Cruz Woodies. The Santa Cruz Wharf seemed like an ideal venue, but initially the Wharf merchants weren’t too sure about giving up parking to accommodate a car show. Yet as the club members know, if you plan it, the crowds will come.
An ally was found: Lisa McGinnis, the Events Director for the City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department. Hardworking and dedicated, Lisa is also a surfer and real fan of these cars. She helped convince the Wharf merchants to give it a go.
Today, the restaurants and shops on the wharf often say that Woodies on the Wharf is their busiest day of the year.
There was no expectation as to how many woodies would show up that first year. There were local woodie owners expected to attend, yet how many would drive in from out of town was anyone’s guess. The day before the event, there were just over three dozen cars making it the second largest gathering of woodies anywhere in the world. (The largest, Wavecrest, is held each fall in Encinitas and regularly draws over 200 woodies).
These days, Woodies on the Wharf has over 200 woodies attend, including cars from as far away as Arizona, Oregon, Washington, the East Coast and Canada. But no matter where they come from, virtually all woodie owners agree, this is one of the best woodie events in the world!