HARSENS ISLAND, MI – A summer getaway destination known mostly to residents of southeast Michigan, Harsens Island is a 12-square-mile nature preserve in Lake St. Clair located about an hour north of Detroit, accessible only by water. Celebrated for its nature-filled marshes and serene landscapes, the island features quaint cottages, homes, shops and restaurants, even a brewery and a winery or two among the hiking areas, sandy beaches and watercraft. It’s all surrounded by the largest freshwater delta in the world. Sounds like the perfect place for … a car show?
Yes, the Harsens Island Car Show to be exact. This charity car show hosted by the Harsens Island St. Clair Flats Association (HISCFA) brought a bevy of vehicles of all makes and models to the island’s Browne’s Field, which is conveniently located right across from the loading dock for Champion’s Auto Ferry – which is the only way to get on and off the island by car. If a car show in an idyllic island setting wasn’t enough to interest you, there were also prizes, awards, food, a 50/50 raffle, a DJ and lots room for the kids to frolic in the park’s playground. Plus, for those wishing to stay after the show ended in the afternoon, there was even live entertainment with a Music In the Park event until dusk. This was one show that we simply had to check it out for you.
While the island’s previous shows focused on just cars and trucks, this year’s seventh-annual event featured expanded vehicle categories to include everything from tractors to side-by-sides. “This year, we welcomed just about any vehicle that someone’s proud to show off,” HISCFA Vice-President Steve Lawrence was quoted as saying. “Whether it’s classic, custom, rugged or rare, we wanted to see it!” ”People love the unique setting – after all, this is the only juried car show you take a ferry to attend, which makes it a memorable and distinctive experience,” Lawrence noted, saying that the association expected to welcome around 500 people to the show this year, with past events drawing as many as 200 vehicles on display on the park grounds. This year’s near-perfect weather surely helped in that regard.
“The show is truly a special event – it’s not just about the vehicles, it’s about the whole experience of Harsens Island,” Lawrence explained to Emily Pauling, a reporter from a local media outlet called The Voice. “We love that it brings people here to explore all the things that make the island unique. With smooth paved roads, a relaxed 50-mph speed limit and stunning views of the St. Clair River, Great Lakes freighters and charming architecture, it’s the perfect place to cruise and take it all in. What we look forward to most is seeing the wide variety of vehicles people bring and watching them enjoy the island – stopping at local restaurants and shops, and maybe even spotting some of the incredible wildlife in its natural habitat. It’s a celebration of community, cars and the simple joys of summertime on Harsens Island.”
So now you understand why we packed up our Mustang convertible and headed to the Ferry launch to take in the show and see how many Fords we could find there. We even hoped to meet up with John Coletti, the retired chief engineer of the Ford Special Vehicle Team, who has a home on the island. Yes, we found John and had a great talk with him in the pavilion. We also came across lots of nice Mustangs and Fords at the show and spoke with many of their owners before taking a few photos of our favorites that you can see below. And yes, we had to check out one of the island’s waterfront restaurants before heading to the ferry to go home – proof positive that with summer events like this, there are many amazing ways to enjoy being a part of the Ford enthusiast community!
FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY JOHN CLOR
