Rev ’em up!
Car cruise in South Park highlights Labor Day weekend fun
Jim Gastgeb’s fascination with the automobile began as a youth when he accompanied his father on trips to the local dealership to buy a new car for the family.
“Back then it was either a four-door Chevy Impala or a station wagon,” said Gastgeb, of Bethel Park. “I would always be glancing over at the Camaros and Corvettes.”
While the “more practical” Bud Gastgeb always purchased a suitable sedan for his family of five, his son never forgot those adventures.
“They were special moments that he and I shared,” Gastgeb said. “They stayed with me.”
So did Gastgeb’s yearning for cool cars.
Today, as an adult in his late 50s, Gastgeb has a collection of Firebirds to go along with his 1978 silver anniversary edition Corvette, classic Dodge Challenger and 1980 Pontiac Trans-Am that is modeled after the one used in the classic film “Smokey and the Bandit.”
“That’s my favorite,” he said. “I don’t have a Camaro though,” he admitted.
Rest assured there will be plenty for Gastgeb and others to view when the 15th annual Rev ‘Em Up For Kids Car Cruise rolls into South Park over Labor Day weekend.
Sponsored by Pasta Too and benefiting the UPMC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 6 along Corrigan Drive. The rain date is Sept. 7.
“The sun doesn’t need to be out but it needs to be dry,” Gastgeb said. “As long as it’s dry, we are good to go.”
Rev ‘Em Up For Kids is so popular, he added, that it’s a destination car cruise. “People circle the date and plan accordingly.”
For the second year in a row, the event will be staged on the road, causing the closure of Corrigan Drive between Brownsville Road and the intersection with Maple Spring/McConkey roads in the park.
“That portion of the park is easy to close off and easy to detour around. So people can get out and about. From that perspective, things went smoothly,” Gastgeb said.
He added that in many other communities outside of the Pittsburgh region, car cruises often are held on the main drag in town.
“It creates a certain vibe,” he said. “It was neat to have cars parked on the road. The cruisers just loved that. So we are excited to continue that.”
The car cruise continues to grow.
Last year, more than 4,000 spectators attended and some 1,100 cars participated.
“We like to say we have something for everyone. The whole family,” he added. “We are always looking at ways to enhance the show and we have expanded that with different vendors and activities.”
Ancillary events featuring vendors and activities for children will be held in the corresponding parking lots and grassy fields in the park.
The Kids Zone centers around the Black & Gold playground located between the fairgrounds and game preserve. There will be a food court. In addition to cruise merchandise, spectators can purchase items for their pets as well as jewelry, candles and other items.
“We had a banner year last year,” Gastgeb said. “Everything fell into place. So we’d love to match that. Anything over that would be tremendous.”
Entry fee is $10 per show vehicle.
Spectator admission is free but cash donations will be accepted.
All proceeds from the car cruise will be donated to the UPMC Children’s Hospital Foundation.
“We were able to raise $25,000 last year, which was our most ever,” Gastgeb said. “We’d love to do a little better this year. Ten percent more would be a good year for us.”
Call the Car Cruise Hotline at 412-833-4280 for more details regarding the event.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Allegheny County Police will not close Corrigan Drive until 9:30 a.m. the day of the car cruise.