BAY HARBOR, MI – It’s not uncommon for exclusive, high-end communities to stage special events for the things they hold dear – such as art, music and holidays – not to mention automobiles, and even boats. That’s certainly the case for the idyllic village of Bay Harbor, Michigan, whose annual attractions include an ln-Water Boat Show, a Classic Car & Boat Festival, a July 3rd Fireworks Night, a Bay Harbor Arts Festival and a Balloons Over Bay Harbor event. Situated along five miles of the stunningly beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline between the famed northern Michigan vacation towns of Petosky and Charlevoix, Bay Harbor is a planned, well-heeled community with spectacular homes and condos, amazing views, world-class amenities and accommodations and unlimited recreational opportunities. It’s a place where successful Midwesterners come to play – and aspire to retire.
While Mustang owners love to attend all sorts of automotive events hosted in big cities and small towns alike, it’s not often they are awarded “featured marque” status for a car show normally filled with classics and exotics in an exclusive community. But that’s exactly what happened when organizers of the annual Bay Harbor Classic Car & Boat Festival contacted the Mustang Owner’s Club of SouthEastern Michigan (MOCSEM) with an invite to take center stage at this year’s festival. It was for a special reason – as a tribute to legendary Ford product planner Hal Sperlich, whose passing (https://performance.ford.com/articles/enthusiasts/newsroom/2025/02/hal-sperlich) early this year saddened the entire automotive community. Sperlich is known as the true spiritual father of the Ford Mustang who didn’t just help create a sporty new Ford vehicle – he helped create an entirely new market segment called the pony car (and yes, he did the same with his idea of the minivan). His place among the Mustang faithful is akin to Lee Iacocca’s, and MOCSEM members jumped at the chance to help promote this unique event.
If a getaway weekend to Bay Harbor to rub shoulders with owners of fine cars and boats wasn’t enough, there was more to this invite than just a parade and the premium Mustang parking display area on show day. Indeed, there was inclusion in the Friday morning scenic cruises to local private auto collections, complete with a lunch stop at a popular ski resort. But tops had to be the evening dinner party offering cocktails, dining and dancing in the Lange Center at the Bay Harbor Yacht Club. The banquet featured a special Mustang presentation and Sperlich tribute by former Ford VP Ken Dabrowski, as well as remarks by none other than Ford CEO Jim Farley himself. MOCSEM member Art Cairo brought his Ford Design Center-customized 1964-½ Mustang hardtop once owned by Henry Ford II that was displayed at the entrance. Sperlich’s widow, D’Anne, even set up photo boards and personal mementos in the lobby recalling Hal’s storied career. (Chrysler’s Tom Gale was also a presenter at the dinner and proudly displayed his company’s first-ever produced minivan out front.)
Unfortunately, Saturday morning rain showers delayed for more than an hour the Mustangs-led Parade of Cars into Bay Harbor Village to kick off the show. Worse, just as we saw Farley walking among the cars as they were finally taking their places on the main street that led all the way down to the lawn along Bay Harbor Lake Marina, the wind kicked up and a torrential thunderstorm rolled in. Suddenly, the skies opened up for a good 20-minute drenching while showgoers scurried for cover under downtown shop awnings and owners huddled inside their cars. But almost as quickly, the storm passed and the sun came out and dried off the pavement, bringing out towels to wipe down the cars, and plenty of smiles on the faces of hundreds of spectators who began to stroll through the village full of cars.
The dozen or so Mustangs on display drew plenty of attention, as did an adjacent collection of various 57 Ford models that led showgoers down the street and into the marina area where numerous rare, classic and exotic rides stretched all the way to the docks. There, classic restored wood boats sat on custom trailers for inspection. It was all like a picture postcard. We brought along our camera to take a few photos to share with you here, and help us document this celebration of the Mustang, of MOCSEM’s 50th anniversary year, of the contributions of Hal Sperlich, and of the memorable summer getaway car show the we got to experience in beautiful Bay Harbor Michigan. Enjoy!
FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / JOHN CLOR
