One of the reasons I moved to Escondido 25 years ago was I loved the parks. One of Escondido’s oldest and most notable park’s right in the heart of downtown is Grape Day Park. Today, Grape Day hosted the annual American Heritage Car Show open to pre 1974 cars and trucks parked all over the grass.

You may already know that every Friday night, Escondido’s Downtown Grand Avenue hosts the “Crusin Grand” event where tens of thousands come from all over the state to participate. It’s become a huge event for downtown, and brings lots of tourists and car enthusiasts to our city.

This event is more laid back and while I was there a moderate sized crowed was simply browsing through looking at the cars – everything from dragsters to Corvettes to the vintage cars of the twenties and thirties.

On the Escondido History Center’s website it says “Feast your eyes on hundreds of beautifully restored classic cars. With parking on the grass and in the shade, vintage car owners think Grape Day Park is the perfect setting for a car show. The American Heritage Car Show celebrates our country’s love affair with the automobile”, and it truly is.

Admission to the event is free, but proceeds of the event benefit the Escondido History Center. The North County Times estimates that over two hundred vintage vehicles will take part this year and several thousand people will visit the downtown park for all or part of the six hour event.

The thing that always gets me when I go to the car events…nostalgia for those good old days!