Muscle cars and Corvettes rolled into Bradenton Saturday for the American Car Show, a $20-a-car fundraiser benefiting a decades-old charity that helps local children facing serious illness. The event ran the morning of October 3, with organizers advertising live music, food and a Sheriff's Choice Trophy for the top vehicle on display.
A Charity Rooted in 1985
According to an event listing on autoshowlist.com, the show ran from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., while the Manatee County Sheriff's Office on Facebook described the event as open until 1 p.m. The two sources also differ on the exact street address, with the event listing citing 600 301 Blvd West in Bradenton and the sheriff's office post citing 600 401 Blvd. W.
Entering a car cost $20, per the autoshowlist.com listing, with all proceeds benefiting Flight to the North Pole and the Sheriff Charity. The show featured American muscle cars and Corvettes on display, alongside live music and food vendors.
Decades of Helping Local Families
Flight to the North Pole traces back to 1985, when it was started by a group of Eastern Airline flight attendants, according to Bradenton, FL Patch. The Manatee Sheriff's Charity program has grown into an annual effort supporting local families dealing with children facing life-threatening or special health problems, the outlet reported.
As of a 2020 report from the same outlet, the charity had served 110 pre-selected local families in need, providing assistance that included gas and gift cards, help with power bills, wheelchairs and special lifts. That year's 35th annual Flight to the North Pole event was held as a drive-through gathering at Feld Entertainment, the report noted, reflecting the pandemic-era adjustments many community charities were making at the time.
Saturday's car show marked another fundraising push tied to that long-running mission, giving Bradenton gearheads a chance to show off their rides for a cause that has quietly supported local families for nearly four decades.
