By Rick Pezzullo—
The Village of Sleepy Hollow will be hosting a 150th Anniversary Car Show on Saturday, May 18 on the former General Motors site.
More than 40 classic and exotic cars will be on display adjacent to Sleepy Hollow RiverWalk, a public/private partnership funded by Edge-on-Hudson, a mixed-used community built where the former car factory once stood, producing more than 11 million cars.
One of the highlights of the free show, which runs from 1 to 5 p.m., will be a 1928 Depot Hack, a charming wood-paneled vehicle that graced the streets of Sleepy Hollow in the early 20th Century. Restored by Bill Lorenzen, this unique piece of automotive history serves as a reminder of the town’s enduring connection to transportation and mobility.
Sleepy Hollow Mayor Martin Rutyna will display a 1968 Chevelle, which is a homage to his father.
“My father owned a Chevelle in downtown Detroit and would drive up and down historic Woodward Avenue. We used to hear the story as kids. When this car came up for sale, my brother jumped on it for me. I drove it with my wife from Northern Wisconsin through Canada to here,” Rutyna said. “I never expected to live in Sleepy Hollow but when I moved here it was the perfect car. It matches the street signs and it really does fit into a place where GM cars have been made since the turn of the century.”
“A car show is a powerful way to recognize the 150th anniversary of the village when you consider that GM was the largest employer and the foundation of the local economy for almost a century,” Rutyna added.
Alongside classic, antique, and muscle cars, families can enjoy food trucks, music, and a bouncy castle. The rain date is May 19.
In 1996, GM closed the plant after almost a century of automobile manufacturing, resulting in the loss of approximately 3,458 jobs.
The car show is one of a dozen events organized by the village to commemorate its incorporation in 1874.
On May 14, W.L. Morse School Principal Torrance Walley organized a party for more than 400 first and second grade students to celebrate the village’s 150th birthday.
The spirited birthday bash culminated in a heartwarming gesture as the students presented Rutyna with a giant card signed by nearly every member of the school, followed by a spirited rendition of “Happy 150th Birthday.” Led by the Morse School’s music teacher and art teachers, Jeffery Mizen and Jeannette Dietz, respectively, the celebration concluded with a musical tribute that playfully counted down the village’s years.
Other events planned to mark the village’s milestone include the inaugural Sleepy Hollow Music Festival on June 8, a Mermaid Festival on July 20 and a parade and block party on Beekman Avenue on September 14.
For more information about Sleepy Hollow 150th Anniversary details, visit sleepyhollowny.org.
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