BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Downtown Beckley played host to motorists from all over the country, and even some from outside the country, last week for the 18th NASSAM (North American Solstice & Sky Annual Meet.)
The event kicked off early in the week, running from Monday, June 19 to Saturday, June 24, with Thursday, June 29 having been designated as the official evening of the car show event.
Downtown Beckley set aside several street areas in accommodation of the event, which ran from 5:30pm to 8:00pm and saw nearly 200 vehicles displayed for the show, giving the 2023 iteration of the NASSAM event the distinction of having been the third largest since the inception of NASSAM in 2006.
“The decision to come here was largely based on Beckley’s proximity to twisting highways and byways,” said Jim Lyddon, event organizer and Owner of Pontiac Solstice.
The event was presented by Visit Southern West Virginia along with Beckley Events, and was hosted by the KAPPA car club, the platform upon which the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky vehicles were built.
“The biggest thing that came with these cars is the people,” said Michigan KAPPA Club President Mike Fraser. “The owners are so passionate about these cars… The cars are fun to drive and were much more affordable than a Corvette or other high-end sports car.”
Members of the Raleigh County community, along with a great many out-of-state guests braved the dreary conditions on Thursday to catch a glimpse of the extensive array of vehicles parked along the streets for display and to give their vote for People’s Choice.
Attendees were also encouraged to partake in the local cuisine made available throughout the evening, including pizza and bakery items from Fruits of Labor and international grocery items from Grand Food Bazaar – both located on Neville street – and Main Street’s Sakura Mankai Cafe which offered teriyaki chicken bowls, panko crusted pork chops, cheesecake, and rolled ice cream.
Several food trucks and vendors were also accessible during the event including Holy O’s, Patriot Food Truck, and MAD Concessions, all of which were parked at Beckley’s Word Park just near the stage from which Danial Lilly and the Lilly Mountaineers gave a musical performance. Guests at the event were also treated to a solo performance on Main Street from singer/multi-instrumentalist Randy Gilkey, a local legend in the Beckley music scene.
A litany of out-of-state plates could be seen during Thursday’s event, including those from:
Indiana
Michigan
South Carolina
Minnesota
Maryland
Ohio
Missouri
Ontario, Canada
Virginia
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Louisiana
Tennessee
Massachusetts
Washington
Delaware
Florida
New York
Georgia
Wisconsin
Additional LOOTPRESS coverage for Raleigh County events can be found here.