SIMC: Automania 2016

Automania is one of my favorite free local summer events. For a number of years it was held in Down Town Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Each year it got bigger with more autos, entertainment, concession stands and of course more people. By 2007 the show was spread out over a 20 block area and featured more than 600 cars, trucks and motorcycles.  By 2013 it had grown too large to be held in it's original location and was moved to the nearby town of Brandon. That first year in Brandon the event saw more than 70,000 people in attendance.

Having been away from the area for the last four years this was my time attending the car show at its' new location. At first it seemed smaller, then I was reminded that instead of being cramped into a 20 block radius the show now spanned over a mile long on a single road. I have sent a request to the organizers of the car show for an estimate of how many attended this year and how many vehicles were registered. I hope to get those numbers soon and update this post. For now here are some of my favorite photos from this year.

In addition to all the really awesome cars each year the show attracts at least a few famous cars and celebrities. Like this one you may recognize.

 Or maybe you will recognize this  95 Mitsubishi Eclipse. It is the car driven by Paul Walker in the 1st/3rd The Fast and The Furious movies.

 

In addition to cool cars, yummy food and live music there was even a gun booth.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing my favorite cars from this years Automania. Over the next few weeks I will be sharing a few of the many fun events held in and around my city during the summer. This event is held toward the end of June every year so if you want to experience it for yourself June is the month to visit Sioux Falls,SD.

For more virtual travel check out Unknown Mami's Sunday In My City blog hop.

Getting ready for Op Sail 2012

I love ships and I love parades so it is no surprise to those that know me that I am getting very excited for Op Sail 2012. If I could I would be at every event scheduled from now till next Sunday. For those that don't know what Op Sail is, it is a week long festival with two ship parades and lots of other fun activities and excitement that is taking place along the water ways here in Virginia. Clyde at Whatever Floats Your Boat has a long list of links to all the amazing activities going on.

Yesterday the kiddo's and I headed down town to the waterfront to check out the parking situation so I wouldn't be totally lost later this week. We were excited to see the preparations in progress for the festival.

We wandered up and down the boardwalk enjoying the sights.

 It was a rather quiet Sunday afternoon. It was warm but not too hot and the wind was not too strong. Although it wasn't crowded we were not the only ones enjoying the sights.

This was the second Sunday in a row that I ran off with the grand kids for an afternoon of adventure. I do believe I am going to try and make it my routine to take them out on Sunday afternoon weather permitting. Who knows it may evolve into a tradition. 

This was my first time visiting down town Norfolk with my camera so of course I took tons of photographs. I will be sharing more over the next few days here and on my photography blog.