The sound of revving engines doesn’t always bring to mind three prominent local non-profit organizations, but thanks to the Highlands Motoring Festival those organizations benefit each year from the rumble of sports cars rolling through town.
The 2021 Highlands Motoring Festival was the most successful in the event’s history by every measure, including financial support that will be donated to local human needs charities. The festival’s net proceeds of $81,000 were recently distributed equally between The Literacy and Learning Center of Highlands, REACH of Macon County, and the Community Care Clinic.
Highlands Motoring Festival is a 501.c3 non-profit and is an all-volunteer team of classic car enthusiasts.
The 14th annual Highlands Motoring Festival was held on June 10-13. Amazing collector cars could be seen on town streets during the four-day festival which consisted of two days of driving tours, three evening gatherings, a parade of Main Street, and two car shows.
“We had an amazing event and we are very fortunate to contribute to three excellent organizations here on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau,” Highlands Motoring Festival board member Mark Chmar said. “The car owners who participate in the festival each year continue to set a high bard when it comes to charitable giving.”
The centerpiece of the motoring festival was Saturday’s “Cars in the Park” juried car show that attracted its largest attendance ever, estimated to be upwards of 4,000 people, to view 80 classic cars. The motoring festival has grown significantly in stature over the years, not by increasing the number of show cars, which is limited by the capacity of Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park, but by raising the level of quality of the cars by going to an invitational entry process.
Other festival events included a “Welcome Soiree” at the Bascom where over 150 guests were able to tour the “FreeWheeling” exhibit that featured three special classic cars displayed along with over forty pieces of automotive art including paintings, photographs, and sculpture.
Over 50 volunteers joined the 15-member planning committee to stage the events. Highlands Motoring Festival Committee members thanked the Highlands community, including citizens, volunteers, businesses, organizations, and government officials and staff, without whom the event would not have been possible.
The 15th annual Highlands Motoring Festival will be on June 9-12, 2022. Registration opens in December at www.HighlandsMotoringFestival.com.