ELKINS – Elkins’ annual Fourth of July car show event will take place this year in Elkins City Park, officials said.

The Randolph County Commission approved a $5,000 funding request from Our Town Inc. during its most recent meeting.

Our Town requested the funding to help with the annual Mountain State Street Machine Fourth of July Car Show that will take place on July 4-5. Commissioners David Kesling and Cris Siler approved the request.

Our Town volunteer and event organizer Priscilla Gay gave an information presentation to the Commission, starting off by officially announcing that this year’s Car Show would take place in a new, but familiar location.

“The big news is that it is moving, it’s going to be held once again at the Elkins City Park,” Gay said. “It took a lot of hours and discussions to make this happen, but we finally got there. The Mountain State Street Machine members are very excited about it and there are a lot of classic car owners who want shade for their cars. They are hopeful that the move back to City Park might increase the number of old cars that come back to the Car Show.”

Gay told the Commissioners there will be a host of prizes handed out to Car Show competitors, and that food vendors will be set up during both days of the event.

“There will be five monetary prizes and a number of trophies. including best in show, and they are going to have food vendors on site,” Gay said. “Back in 2018, Our Town was established to save the Car Show. Time has evolved and Our Town has evolved and we are now also doing the July Fourth Concert and Fireworks as well. We think that collectively, we are providing a good experience for the residents and visitors.”

Gay said she believes that both events, the Car Show and the Concert/Fireworks, will feed off one another.

“If you come to see the Car Show, you stay and see the Concert and Fireworks,” Gay said. “Then if you come for the concert, you come early and check out the Car Show. So we are anticipating having a very good crowd and it is America’s 250th birthday. There will be several other activities put on by other third parties, such as the parade. And I think there are some other things in the offerings.”

Kesling told Gay that he was happy to see the Car Show returning to the City Park. The event has been held downtown around the Elkins Railroad Depot and surrounding streets since 2017.

“I used to go to it and also take my car to the one downtown, and like you said, there is no shade and it was so hot sitting there,” Kesling said. “I enjoyed it when they had it at the City Park, so I’m happy to see it back there. And I’m glad they are going to have food vendors there, too.”

The $5,000 provided to Our Town for the Car Show will be taken out of the hotel-motel tax line item in the county budget.

The next regular Randolph County Commission meeting will be May 28 at 1:30 p.m.