Bellaire showcases local businesses with car show

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Multiple Ohio Valley residents display their cars at the Bellaire Business Bash Car Show.

BELLAIRE — The Bellaire Business Alliance is slated to host its third annual Bellaire Business Bash Car Show on Friday at Union Square Park in Bellaire.

Registration will take place on 36th Street at 3 p.m. with a $12 registration fee. The car show will begin at 5 p.m. with judging starting at 6 p.m. The event ends at 8 p.m.

Although it is a car show, trucks and motorcycles will also be competing. Dash plaques will be awarded to the first 200 registrants.

“We have over 50 trophies to be awarded between cars, bikes and trucks,” Bellaire Business Alliance Secretary Treasure Sheri McAninch said.

She added that T-shirts will be sold at the event.

McAninch also said that if there is a need for a cancellation due to rain, the make-up date will be Aug. 16.

The Bellaire Business Alliance’s goal for the event is to have cars lined up the entire stretch of Belmont Street.

The Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas, aka DORA, will be in effect on Friday.

Lori Vinka, president of the Bellaire Business Alliance, believes the Business Bash will be the biggest DORA event the village of Bellaire has had so far.

“We will have lots of vendors, and all of the restaurants will be having food. The DORA is in effect, which means you can purchase a cup from one of the bars and you can walk through the event like you would at the Italian Festival,” Vinka said.

She added that although you can walk around the event with your cup of alcohol, you will have to discard your cup before entering another establishment.

When speaking on how the Bellaire Business Bash was started, McAninch and Vinka agreed that it was due to a group of Bellaire residents that started showing up every Friday at the park during the COVID-19 pandemic to show off their cars and to support the local businesses.

“This group of guys came down here every Friday even and supported many of our businesses through COVID, which was really cool. We wanted to do something to give back to them,” McAninch added. “They did that every Friday, and they’re still here almost every Friday.”

“The Bellaire Business Alliance is for bringing foot traffic into Bellaire and showcasing the businesses that are here and encouraging more businesses to come to Bellaire,” Vinka added. “It is also to encourage people to come and shop with us and hang out, it’s a safe place.”

Vinka said she believes that the car show is important because a lot of the residents of the community like to attend the car shows for nostalgia.

“The thing we hear the most is that it’s wonderful to see these cars down on Belmont Street and all of the people because it took them back to the ’60s, ’70s, and the ’80s, when the population was clearly a lot bigger than now.”

She added, “It’s just a good time, and a good time to look around and see what’s in our town.”

Music for the bash will be provided by Taylor Jo and the Copper Creek Band as well as DJ Bobby Bandonee. Sponsors for the bash are B&R Auto Repair, Denny’s Blue Angel, Belmont Savings Bank, Terriann Bonfini with Mary Kay, Vivid Graphix, All American Restaurant, Dvorak & Sons, VFW Post 626, Gulla’s, Chirp’s Auto Body, The Holistic Cloud, Sons of Italy Lodge 754, Favor Fresh Detailing LLC, JR Investments and Colerain Golf Car Sales.