Back to the Bricks Draws record crowds

Back to the Bricks Cruise Weekend draws record turnout
by Melissa Burden The Flint Journal
Saturday August 15, 2009, 3:31 PM

FLINT, Michigan -- Chris and Beth Knieper of Chesaning came to Back to the Bricks Cruise Weekend finale Saturday ready to show off their 1972 Chevy Nova.
Instead, a much smaller vehicle was getting the attention.
"Where did you get that?" asked one woman, while another snapped a photo, as the couple strolled on Saginaw Street's bricks, glancing at classic cars.

A handmade Model A Ford roadster stroller for their 14-month-old daughter Alexandra, complete with an upholstery job, seat belt and red painted flames, drew lots of questions and praise.
Chris Knieper, 37, said they used to hit the Woodward Dream Cruise, but have been coming to the Back to the Bricks Cruise Weekend on Saturday the past few years.
"This is nice," Chris Knieper said. "I can walk down the streets and talk to people."
Officials and spectators agreed that this year's main event was busier than the past.
"It seems way bigger," said Renee Aurand, 32, of Swartz Creek, who was enjoying some free popcorn with her husband Tom and three children as they toured their second Back to the Bricks.
"We've got a record turnout," said Back to the Bricks Chairman Al Hatch, who added there were reports that traffic was backed up onto I-69 Saturday morning to get into the show.
"People were down here at 2 o'clock in the morning parking," Hatch added.
Sunny weather in the mid 80s drew in thousands of people and an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 vehicles on display along Saginaw Street, surrounding roads and parking lots.
"We were anticipating 25,000 (vehicles) for the entire weekend," Hatch said, adding total attendance could reach a quarter of a million for the five-day event. "We think we've probably succeeded that."
Business was brisk at Brown Sugar Cafe, which opened at 4:30 a.m., and was going through a lot of frozen coffee drinks and fruit smoothies by midday.
"It's great seeing all these people out here," said Julie Prince, an owner of the cafe on Saginaw Street.
From Model As to roaring loud muscle car engines and Chevy Corvettes and Camaros spanning decades, there was something for most car enthusiasts to enjoy.
Three-time breast cancer survivor Karen Borton's multi-colored pink 1969 Buick Skylark convertible was hard to miss.
Borton, 63, of Richfield Township was at the show in part to promote the Breast Cancer Awareness For Life charity that raises money to help breast cancer patients pay for things such as wigs and treatments.
The organization that she and three-time cancer survivor Norma Santerre, 64, of Lapeer, run has collected $27,000 in just a few months to help women.
John Hunt, 63 and Tammy Hunt, 45, of Flint Township brought their award-winning, red 1954 Chevy truck for show. They arrived at 4:40 a.m. to find Saginaw Street fairly packed with cars.
John Hunt, who works as a courier for McLaren Regional Medical Center, said he's owned the truck for about 16 years. He said he's spent about $20,000 restoring it from brown into a shiny red ride with a new engine, transmission, interior and oak truck bed.
"It's come a long way," he said, sharing photos of the restoration and wiping the truck with a cloth as he walked around it.
New Flint Mayor Dayne Walling helped officials reveal the Hurst Performance Vehicles' 2010 Dodge Challenger, which drew claps and whistles from a crowd gathered Saturday morning in a parking lot near Saginaw and First streets.
The silver and black Challenger, featuring 572 horsepower, had an Illinois license plate reading "Only 1."
"It's a great place to unveil, being it basically is the birthplace of the whole car industry," said Joe Spagnoli, 45, a suburban Chicago area resident, who owns a couple dozen Hurst vehicles.
"Never before have we had a non-GM car unveiled in Flint," said Jerry Preston, president of the Flint Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

see
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2009/08/back_to_the_bricks_cruise_week.html


comments

Posted by HenryHard on 08/15/09 at 5:59PM
Funny...that photo doesn't look like the downtown Flint I know.
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Posted by flintmiusa on 08/15/09 at 6:40PM
Interestingly and thankfully, it is a photo of HOPE - it truly shows that when people want to make good things happen...with hard work, persistence, dedication it can be done.
Great job Flint - makes me proud to be from Flint, MI USA!
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Posted by glenvl on 08/15/09 at 7:21PM
very cool scene.
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Posted by bywc on 08/15/09 at 9:15PM
We need to see more of events like this in Flint, it has been a great 5 day and that is good to hear.
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Posted by wrongwayron on 08/16/09 at 1:36PM
It was a great weekend ...
Except traffic control people were extreme rude to my walking daughter-in-law with her cane. Seem to think they we there for cars ONLY and people were to be rushed out of way.And most of the crowd at the FSO concert Friday night were so concerned with getting their friends attention and holding loud conversations we were unable to hear the music.
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Posted by doinit4me on 08/16/09 at 1:58PM
This event was an absolute success. When was the last time that many people came together for a common attraction in Flint?
It was a "win-win" for the businesses and patrons.
Hopefully everyone reading this attended. It gave me a feeling of unity and revealed the true spirit of Flint.
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Posted by harrp on 08/16/09 at 2:51PM
What a great event.It was fantastic to walk the bricks getting awsome photo's. The free music also enjoyed. I had a great time and plan on being back next year. I do have a couple of suggestions that might make next years event even better. If the stage for Friday nights concert where turned 180 degrees and placed at the high point of the bridge it would overlook Saginaw Street being visable all the way to Court Street allowing participants to keep an eye on their cars and enjoy the live performances. Also it seemed like some of parking decks where underutilized due to the way traffic was routed.Continued great success on a fantastic car show.
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Posted by rich1028 on 08/16/09 at 4:34PM
Was A Great Time!!I was down there on Thursaday for the Cruise,and back on Saturday for the Show.here are a few pictures I took.
http://rides.webshots.com/album/574094978RajACA?vhost=rides
or to View in Slideshowhttp://rides.webshots.com/slideshow/574094978RajACA
www.saginawstreetandstrip.com
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Posted by cyadaily on 08/16/09 at 7:46PM
GREAT WEEK, GREAT EVENT, GREAT WEATHER....
BACK TO THE BRICKS....BACK TO DOWNTOWN.....DOWNTOWN FLINT ROCKS....
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Posted by willy48529 on 08/16/09 at 7:57PM
Isn't it Great that a Few private citizen of Genesee county can organize such a Great FREE event' If this had been put together By our County Commissioners , There would have been Toll Booths and Ticket booths set up on all Roads Entering into Genesee county.
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Posted by jeepfreak81 on 08/17/09 at 8:27AM
Outstanding show, I was there most of Friday night, and 7-5 on Saturday. Traffic control for cruisers was definitely routed funny on Friday and Saturday. It made it EXTREMELY difficult to navigate around if you do not know Flint. More signage would have helped (or a specific club entrance on Saturday). I am definitely not complaining though, I knew Flint the best and was able to route our club members to the easiest way to our reserved spot.
Excellent show, and ALL the restaurants were packed. I was happy to see it!
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Posted by pamhowe on 08/17/09 at 9:52AM
HenryHard on 08/15/09 at 5:59PM
Funny...that photo doesn't look like the downtown Flint I know.
-That's right. This is no longer the Flint from the 80's and 90's when the city was barren and striped of any character. I was there Friday and Saturday night and with everyone downtown it felt like events that I have been to in GR and Chicago. This city can be something again, not the same as it was before- but reborn into a better more beautiful city. Although we are hardly "there" Flint is trying hard to over come the perceptions that everyone has of her. Next time someone makes disparaging comments about Flint, maybe we should remember that image above and say, "Now wait just a second..." It's time we, the residents of Flint stop being our biggest detractors.
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Posted by tonyroadp on 08/17/09 at 9:24PM
I think it's Great. Flint in the good spot light for change.