All week, we've been seeing classic cars cruising around the city as part of Hot August Nights, and downtown Reno, this year's host venue, is always a fun place to check them out.
Many people travel from out of state to be a part of this event every year, and some say they've been doing it for over 20 years now.
For one young boy, this year’s event is extra special because Make-A-Wish helped him express his love for classic cars. Thanks to Make-A-Wish, Jonah Lopez, a Make-A-Wish recipient, led the cruises
He talked to us about his favorite car. "This is my Nova, 1974 Chevy Nova,” he said. “It's my fast car, and it's my favorite car of the day."
His mom, Jessica Lopez, tells us how much he's enjoyed being part of this year's Hot August Nights event, saying, "He gets to lead the show. He just led the cruise yesterday with Sparks, so that was pretty cool."
And after talking to folks that come year after year, it's clear how meaningful it could be to finish a project and finally get that moment to share it with others.
John Hegensen has attended Hot August Nights for 20 years; he told us, “My friend Darrell went through the cars, updated everything, and what was fun about that. And it's kind of like the Harley-Davidson model, is it's not about their destination. It's about the journey, so we had so much fun doing this car."
Other people we spoke with say the community of classic car lovers is one of a kind.
They say this event brings people from all different backgrounds together, and once classic cars get brought up, the conversation doesn't stop.
It’s an easy place to make new connections while also learning something new about what you love.
Darrell Downs, who has attended Hot August Nights for almost 40 years, said, "A lot of the conversation is, you know, what inspires you? What gives you the idea? That kind of stuff. Everybody, you know, and everybody down here has a little bit of a different talent. And it's really, to me, it's pretty cool to see that."
Many said their love for classic cars is simply the reason they continue to come.
And being able to see so many classic cars all in one place makes it so special.
Downs also said, "I love old cars and the atmosphere, the music. It's just a fun place to be. Where are you going to go and find this many cars all in one place? And every time you come here, you're going to see something different."
