Redding Kool April Nites - 2016

Over the past couple of years, we've made the annual trek to the Kool April Nites Cruise and Car Show in Redding, Ca. In its 27th year, Kool April Nites continues to please classic car owners and general auto fans alike. This year it was expected to register over 1,900 classic cars (aged 1979 or older) for the event with all proceeds going to local youth charities. The main draws of the week-long event are the Friday night cruise and the big Show &amp; Shine on Saturday outside the Redding Civic Auditorium. Additionally, there are concerts, dances, and smaller Show &amp; Shines at different locations during the week. The Redding weather in April can be hit and miss, but the show goes on rain or shine. This year, it stormed all day Friday with a huge amount of rain falling in the afternoon - by all accounts over 2 inches. But by Cruise time that evening, the rain had stopped, the Cruise began on time and it was an enormous hit yet again. There weren't as many spectators as usual due to the weather earlier in the day, but many still came out along the route to enjoy the beauties (and some entries not so beautiful) drive by.<!--more-->

We had planned to bring "Daisy", our 41 Chevy to the show, but, as will occasionally happen with classics, she refused to start Thursday morning for the 3 hour trip to Redding. So, at the last minute, we transferred suitcases, camera equipment, cooler, chairs, etc. from Daisy to the 37 Plymouth for the trip.

Gangsta Car (37 Plymouth)

Daisy (41 Chevy Coupe Deluxe)

It does help to have two classics when one of them decides to be temperamental! (As it turned out, Daisy's battery was taking its final breath - a problem eventually easily fixed!)

Rather than ride in the cruise this year, I opted to stake out my favorite intersection and spent a couple of hours shooting participants as they drove by (avec camera). Here are some of the highlights from the Cruise.

Sections of downtown Redding are blocked off for the cruise and both sides of the street are used, as shown in the photo below,

Some spectators had their own idea of a classic - Radio Flyer with child and a can of Bud!

Practicing their Princess wave:

Some excitement provided by low-riders.

A double rainbow showed up half-way through the Cruise.

Vendors with a sense of humor always make if fun.

Trying to figure out how this could be pertinent to a fire brigade!

As usual, the Redding police provided direction, humor and a sense of propriety.

More shots can be seen at Jo West Imagery