West Coast Kustoms Cruisin’ Nationals rolls into Santa Maria helping rev up local business
SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The annual West Coast Kustom Cruisin' Nationals car show returns to Santa Maria this holiday weekend for its always anticipated three-day run.
"This is the number one premiere show you could find for custom cars," said Rit Pichette, son of West Coast Kustoms Cruisin' Nationals founder Penny Pichette. "It's the largest everywhere."
Pichette said this year's show will bring in more than 900 customized cars from around North America.
"West Coast Kustoms is like a family," said Pichette "We're car builders from back in the 50's and 60's. We bring them all together. We bring the custom cars that were almost lost and forgotten over the years. We bring them out here so people can see them and enjoy the personality people put into them."
The show is now in its 43rd year and 17th in Santa Maria, which is expecting thousands of visitors from literally around the globe to attend.
"We have people flying from Australia, from Japan, Finland, Sweden, all over the world," said Pichette.
Many of the car owners arrived into Santa Maria on Thursday. The event officially begins on Friday at 11 a.m. with the start of event registration.
Over the next few days, customized cars will be seen driving all over the city, especially along the busy Broadway corridor around the Historic Santa Maria Inn, which serves as the official host site.
"We are booked 100%," said Scott Shute, Historic Santa Maria general manager. "It's a great event for us. The staff has a really great time with it. It's a great city event. We look forward to this every single year."
With several thousand people in town for the show, both participants and spectators, the West Coast Kustoms is a significant economic engine for Santa Maria.
"Economically it's really fills the city up," said Shute. "All the businesses feel it. It's a great impact for the entire city."
One of the most popular events is the Friday night cruise along Broadway, which begins at 7 p.m. and is free for spectators to attend.
"The cruise will have between 400 and 500," said Doug Mason, West Coast Kustoms Santa Maria Representative. "It's amazing because every year the crowds watching the car show has built larger and larger. Before we had it just in the middle of Broadway from the Santa Maria Inn south and north, but now the cars are bumper to bumper double file. It's on a loop from Cook (Street) to Stowell (Road), and it is amazing to see because you'll see some of the custom car builders that you may not have seen or you've seen on TV."
Over the weekend, the model car show will be held at the Santa Maria Fairpark, where spectators will be able to see all of the cars up close and personal.
For more information about the 43rd Annual West Coast Kustoms Cruisin' Nationals, click here for the event website.
