Car show benefiting officers returns to BC

If you like car shows, food, music and being able to see celebrities from your youth, then mark Saturday, March 29 on your calendar.

The annual Injured Police Officers Fund classic car show is set to return to Boulder City and will run from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park.

Organizer Jay D’Angelo said everything is “coming along great” and that so far, they have about 200 cars signed up with another 50 or so expected.

This will be the fifth year the show will be in Boulder City. It was previously at Sunset Park in Henderson but officials there said the show could no longer have cars parked on the grass, leaving D’Angelo scrambling to find another venue.

“People love Veterans Park and being able to have it on grass,” he said. “We plan to have it there as long as Boulder City is willing to have us.”

According to D’Angelo, this is a fundraiser for the Injured Police Officers Fund.

Their mission is to help reduce the financial burden suffered by police officers and their families in the event of a line-of-duty injury or death by providing monetary assistance to these officers and their families.

Last year, the star of the show, aside from the cars, was Erik Estrada, who played Ponch on the popular television show “CHiPs,” which ran from 1977 to 1983. This year, his partner on the show, Jon Baker, played by Larry Wilcox, will be the show’s guest. Also scheduled is Adrian Zmed, who co-starred in “Grease 2” and on TV’s “TJ Hooker.”

“Adrian had kind of adopted the IPOF and has helped any time we’ve asked,” D’Angelo said.

On his Facebook page, Wilcox posted a photo of himself on a CHP motorcycle with the caption, “Can’t wait to show up and meet the fine people that support injured police officers.”

D’Angelo said as for Estrada and Wilcox, they make a living traveling to various events across the country. Because of the purpose of this car show, both have agreed to take a lesser fee for their appearance.

In addition to the cars and celebrities, Michael Braun will be on hand to sing. Braun, who sings at different venues on the Las Vegas Strip, is a retired police officer. And, there will be food trucks as well as a K-9 demonstration.

One of the highlights will again be the car parade, which starts at the park and makes its way though Boulder City and again back to the park. That will take place at 1 p.m. and will be led by 20 vintage law enforcement vehicles with lights and sirens going. The awards for the car show will take place at 2:30 p.m.