MOUNTAIN VIEW — What started out with just a few trophies and an idea to get car enthusiasts together has blossomed into a major event in Mountain View.
In 2012, Kelly Simmons and Matt Sloan helped organize the first car show at Mountains, Music and Motorcycles. The annual festival, which has been part of the city’s summer schedule for eight years, has steadily grown to be the most popular event of the year in Mountain View.
“I was waiting tables when they started this, and you’d see a huge increase in revenue,” Simmons said. “We have the Folk Festival and BeanFest, but this event is bigger than all the others we have.”
Although the focus of the weekend is motorcycles, bikers and music, Simmons and Sloan had an idea that the same crowd might be interested in vintage and specialty cars.
“Everyone got to bring their vehicles out that they’ve worked so hard on,” Simmons said. “They’re like this piece of art, basically. It’s great to wander up the square listening to the music and talking to everyone about their cars.”
Simmons and Sloan considered the first year of the car show a success but knew they’d need to make some adjustments if the event was going to return.
“We’ve added way more classes and trophies this year,” Simmons said. “And we’ve added to the convenience of the location by adding food vendors and Porta Potties in the area.”
Sloan said they have increased promotions and sponsors for the car show this year as well, hoping it will draw even more entries.
“We have 17 categories this year and 50 trophies,” Sloan said. “From muscle cars to hot rods to imports, we have a class for all varieties. Any kind of vehicle you have, we’ll have a category for you.”
Mountains, Music and Motorcycles is scheduled for Aug. 16-18 in downtown Mountain View. Last year’s festival drew around 10,000 bikers to the area. The festival serves as a fundraiser for Arkansas Bikers for Children, which supports Arkansas Children’s Hospital. The weekend will include the car show, along with a poker run, a bike show, free concerts, craft displays, food vendors and more. After the car-show awards ceremony, Simmons said, a car cruise around the downtown square will take place.
Staff writer Emily Van Zandt can be reached at (501) 399-3688 or evanzandt@arkansasonline.com.