Riverbank residents and friends got a preview of what was to come over the past weekend in Modesto, when the 24th Annual Graffiti Festival kicked off with a car show here in the parking lot between Cool Hand Luke’s and the Galaxy Theatres. The stop in Riverbank was Thursday evening, June 8 just prior to the official weekend celebration in Modesto.

The yearly festival is an homage to the success of the George Lucas film American Graffiti, which itself celebrated the car culture of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. It was based on Lucas’s youth and the ‘cruise’ in the streets of downtown Modesto. It has been 50 years since the film was released.

On Thursday last week, classic cars, hot rods, restored vehicles and even a few dragsters were displayed in the parking lot between the theater and the restaurant, off of Patterson Road. There were so many vehicles on display that visitors to the show, diners and movie-goers, were hard pressed to find a place to park their own cars.

This part of the car show was free to the public, unlike the weekend exhibition staged at Modesto Junior College’s West Campus.

Friday’s main Graffiti activity was the parade/cruise through downtown streets in Modesto, that started at 6:30 p.m., and was limited to just 1,000 participants, with vehicles from 1980 and older. And no motorcycles were allowed.

The car show itself was held on the MJC West Campus, on Blue Gum Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 10 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 11. Entrance was $10 per person, with children 12 and under free.

The 24th annual American Graffiti Festival & Car Show was sponsored by the North Modesto Kiwanis Club. The club advertised the event as ‘more classic cars, more fun, great food and live music!’