By Edwin Valderrama

At the La Mesa Classic Car and Bike Show, held by the city of La Mesa, many of the people at the event found themselves nostalgic as they cruised down memory lane alongside friends and family. At this annual car show, hosted every Thursday from July 7 to Aug. 25, pre-1974 classic car owners and local community members gather at the intersection of La Mesa Boulevard and Third Street to appreciate and admire the cars and motorcycles that brought them together. This show has been going for over two decades and continues to do so thanks to sponsors and the hard work of volunteers like Jack Leary.

Leary says what keeps people coming back is “the ambiance of being back in the ’50s with the tree line streets and the antique shops, and the restaurants and stuff. They just really liked the show for that reason.”

Though this car show can bring a person back to the fond memories of their first car, this event also “brings two or three different generations together,” as classic car owner Jim Hoscher points out.

Keeping an event such as this going for over two decades can be a difficult task.

“It is always a labor of love,” Leary said. “It can be a headache at times but if a problem comes up you find a solution, you fix it and keep on going.”

Leary’s commitment to bringing the community together has earned him special recognition from State Senator Joel Anderson. In his appreciation of the work of Leary and his fellow volunteers, Anderson provided certificates of recognition for their tireless efforts to put together this community event.

“I am thankful for the city of La Mesa, Jack Leary, and the many volunteers that maintain this wonderful show that enriches our community,” Anderson said.

—Edwin Valderrama is a legislative intern for Senator Joel Anderson.