Olde’s Car Show Finale

Live music is great anytime. If it also means the community coming together for fun—bonus. Is that good time going to benefit a good cause? Even better.

Last summer, Olde’s Garage began hosting Evergreen Cars and Coffee car shows in their recognizable parking lot on Saturday mornings. Car enthusiasts, involved locals and sometimes just wandering tourists would roll in to peek at cool vintage cars, to chat with new friends and often to take in some live music. Last year’s shows were such a sensation that this year, they popped back up at the end of May and have thrilled the community each Saturday since.

“The best part about this event is how organic and positive it has been,” said Monty Porter, president of Olde’s Garage and the fourth generation to run the family business. He, along with David Taylor of Evergreen Auto Brokers, and Kevin McGuire of Transamerica Financial Advisors, started inviting Evergreen to show off their cars last summer. “It’s simple and unpretentious: If you have a car you are proud of, bring it.”

On Saturday, September 18, Evergreen Cars and Coffee will present the summer’s final Elk Fink Benefit Car Show at Olde’s Garage, set to benefit Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice. From 9 am to 4 pm, people young and old are invited to the party, complete with cars, of course, plus food trucks and two live performances.

“It wouldn’t be a party without some sort of band,” said Porter, “and with a limited opportunity to see live music nowadays, we couldn’t pass up the chance to have professional musicians at our show.”

This last hoorah will include a performance by The Reals—Matt Kowal, lead vocals and guitar; Tom Zingauro, mandolin, slide guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, background vocals; John Horan, harmonica; Steve Millin, bass; and Daren Hahn, drums—a group Denver Westword described as “sad-bastard, beer-swilling music that ends up feeling just right no matter what,” with crooning voices and imposing guitar slides. Bassist Millin concurs that the music lives up to this review. “Everybody in the band is talented and generous—as humans and musicians. Music is a conversation, and that’s the nature of our music. Everybody has something to say, and it is all relevant,” he said, noting that the bulk of their catalog is original music written by frontman Kowal. “Matt has a poetic economy that is brilliant. One of the best lyricists that I’ve known.”

True to their name, The Reals are an honest group who genuinely care for each other and the greater community, which Millin says is a huge part of their participation in events for good, like the car show and benefit. “We are a band of decades-long friendships. That quality, without a doubt, comes through in our music,” he says. “The community element is demonstrated in the rapport we share onstage, and when we make that connection with the audience. Our community breathes into a larger space.”

Colin Smith, a Minnesota musician with ties to Evergreen and Conifer, will kick-off the live music, opening for The Reals. Both offer up get-moving music that is the perfect upbeat for a sunny Saturday morning, closing out summertime.

Aside from musical performances, guests can expect to see some great cars, summed up with an unsanctioned classic car contest at 3 pm.

“We hope this finale event lets the community know how much we have appreciated their participation and support this summer,” said Porter.