Coastal Point • FILE PHOTO:
Classic cars are shown along Church Street in Selbyville during last year’s event. The car show is a large part of the Old Tymer’s Day event. Last year’s attendance is estimated at about 2,000, a record number.Beloved and much missed after a one-year hiatus, Selbyville’s classic summer festival is returning. Old Timer’s Day is scheduled for Saturday, June 20, in downtown Selbyville. Church Street will close to traffic and turn into a sunny street fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day
“There is just so much going on. There’s a little bit of something for anybody. It’s great for whole families,” said organizer Lauren Weaver. “In the spirit of Selbyville, … it’s just kind of a nice step back into time and a festival for families.”
Children will be able to engage in active play in the play zone near Town Hall. They’ll also be able to enjoy fire truck rides, a moon bounce, an obstacle course, multi-sport games and pony rides from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., reflecting back to a time before people had cars to get around.
But when automobiles came to town, they came in style. So, a classic car show will line Church Street itself — the youngest automobile being from 1979. People are being invited to show their classic cars, trucks, emergency apparatus and farm vehicles.
“Hot Rods for Hospice” is the name of this year’s classic car show, with Delaware Hospice being the beneficiary of the 50/50 raffle.
Car show registration costs $10 and can be done online at www.bethany-fenwick.org or on-site from 9 a.m. to noon. Judging is from noon to 2 p.m. Besides the award ceremony at 3 p.m. at Town Hall, door prizes will be announced throughout the day.
Cash prizes will be given for everything from best engine compartment to best paint job, and of course, the best vehicles.
This is the first time Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting the festival for Selbyville, although “We already work with them for the [Christmas] parade, and we have a really great relationship with them,” said event manager Weaver. “We really enjoy working in Selbyville. Working inland is always a nice experience.
“We have tried to keep it true to form,” Weaver said of the historic nature of the event. “They did an amazing job building up the pony ride and events for kids.”
The Rail Road Station Museum will be open for free. That’s where families can also catch free fire truck rides with the Selbyville Volunteer Fire Company.
The Selbyville Public Library will also have special events, Weaver said, including crafts, music and more.
The Bo Dickerson Band will play classic country and rock-and-roll hits near Town Hall.
Festival food will be nearby, too, with everything from “fried chicken livers to burgers and hotdogs, desserts and ethnic food. You name it, it’s going to be there,” Weaver said.
Other craft vendors will bring their best wares to sell, too.
Handicapped-accessible parking is available, with transport, at PNC Bank on Church and Main streets. Guest parking is available on all side streets, municipal lots and the Southern Delaware School of the Arts parking lot.
Church Street is closed to vehicle traffic from 5 a.m. until 4 p.m. on June 20.
Pre-registered vehicle entrants can also enjoy the free Poker Run on Friday night. On June 19, they can drive to five local sites to pick up one playing card at each stop.
“It’s just like a hand of poker. It’s like a scavenger hunt without the riddles,” Weaver said. “Everybody pre-registered can show up. Every place they stop, they get a poker card, and then they come back at the very end. We’ll have a little party and entertainment,” and play the poker hand for prizes.
Pre-registration is June 19 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Selbyville Town Hall, and is required to be eligible for that day’s Poker Run and the next day’s car show.