BIRCH RUN, Mich. – The weather hasn’t been too kind to the Mustang Club of Mid-Michigan’s annual Great Lakes Stampede All Ford and Mustang Car Show over the past few years. Like most clubs that are regional affiliates of the Mustang Club of America (MCA), the Mustang club of Mid-Michigan (MCMM) organizes an annual Mustang and Ford car show. But with the MCMM’s event held on a mid-May weekend in central Michigan, Mother Nature hasn’t been in the mood of late allowing spring to get sprung on show day. After a cold and rainy start to the 2019 show, attendees got to witness some gradual clearing, and hopes were dashed for last year’s show after it had to be cancelled due to COVID-19. But this year, the Stampede was bathed in glorious sunshine.

The non-profit Mustang Club of Mid-Michigan is located in the Frankenmuth, Michigan, area, which is perhaps better-known for its “World Famous Chicken Dinners” or the Bronner’s Christmas mega-store than its Mustangs. Yet the MCMM draws fine Stangs and collectible Fords from all around the area for its yearly Stampede and always puts on a great show. This year the club was again hosting the show on the expansive property of the nearby Birch Run (Michigan) Premium Outlets Mall, right off Interstate 75. Ford Performance supplied Ford Performance Parts catalogs for the goody bags, and was there with two 2021 display cars, a new Mustang Mach 1 and a 2.3L High Performance Package Mustang, parked right next to the DJ’s booth.

From every generation Mustang to classic Fords, Mercury’s and F-Series pickups, we spotted a wide variety of collectible Ford vehicles at this event and chatted with many of their owners. The lines were long for cool drinks, hot dogs and chips but nobody was complaining on such a sunny car show day. The 2021 Stampede drew a record 220 registered vehicles (71 of those from the Mustang Owners Club of SouthEastern Michigan that drove up for the show), and not including the 60 MCMM club member cars parked on the grass next to the show field lot. Ford marketing retiree and Ford Performance photojournalist Bill Cook was there and snapped photos of some of his favorite cars on display at the show to share with you in the gallery below:

FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY BILL COOK