In case you haven’t realized this yet about our community, pretty much every cool and new thing that happens around here can be traced back to the energy and vision of a single individual. This very column you are reading was the brainchild of then-Editor of the Madison Courier, Maggie Hillery, back in 2018. Jeff Garrett was the man behind Ribberfest. And Tony Novello is the father of the MadHop Festival in November.
Now we have a brand new car show on our calendar, called Rumble on the River, taking place on May 24th, Memorial Day Saturday. This weekend has hosted a car show for many years, thanks River Rat Rods club. But they decided it was time to hang up the fuzzy dice and drive off into the sunset, leaving the spot open for a new organization to take the wheel.
And the individual grabbing that wheel is Whitney Roberts, Executive Director of CASA here in town, and an avid hot rod buff in her own right. “I’ve always been a car person,” explains Whitney. My fiance and my uncle Pat Brewer are helping me build a ‘32 Ford Roadster, so I’ll be showing myself in the car shows pretty soon.
“The opportunity to take over the Memorial Day weekend and put on a car show is really a dream come true. Plus, it creates a second annual fundraiser event for CASA, which is near and dear to my heart.” CASA is an advocacy group for abused and neglected children here in Jefferson County.
“There are actually three of us on the event committee, myself, Chad Pennington and Joe Whitaker, but I’m doing most of the early leg work to bring it together. There has been a ton of support and interest among the car-owner community, many of whom have been bringing their cars to Madison in late May for many years. We’re able to slot right into that popular weekend and build on that existing base of loyal attendees.
“One thing people will notice right away at Rumble on the River is a bigger emphasis on music. I’ve been a huge music fan all my life, and I wanted to incorporate that into the new format. I believe music can impact people emotionally, making them excited or happy or nostalgic. I want to share those good feelings as part of this event. We have live musicians lined up to play pretty much all day. This year we have Keagan Hatton, Ethan Priest, and Craig Cole playing on stage, and I think people are really going to enjoy how talented and entertaining these guys are.
“Other events and amenities will include a cornhole tournament, food trucks, a 50/50 drawing and 30 award categories for the cars. We’re also changing the event footprint a little bit, shifting it more towards the bridge and cutting it off at Broadway. We don’t want to interfere with the operation of the newly renovated pool.
“I will point out with the revised footprint that we may not have quite as many spaces for cars as in years past, and we may need to cut off entries. That’s why I’m encouraging all interested car owners to go online and register early and ensure they have a spot. Go to casajc.net/rumble by May 10 to register. There might be spots still open on the morning of the event, but I wouldn’t count on it. I’d register early, for sure.
“I want to thank the River Rat Rods folks for building up this weekend and the car show for so many years, and giving CASA the opportunity to take over the spot and do our thing. Car shows are a big part of the Madison tourist calendar, and we’re happy to help keep the tradition alive.”
HOT TIP OF THE WEEK:
Whew, after so much music last weekend, Indiana’s Music City is taking a bit of a breather this week. Only 17 live music events on the calendar instead of 23 like last week. Ha! Even in our “slow” weeks we still bring the jams, all over town. I was talking to the owners of MadPaddle and they said the first open-mic “Pickers Circle” on Thursday was a nice success. Check it out this week as more and more folks discover this inviting and fun place to display their talents. Also at MadPaddle on Friday you’ll have another chance to see the very entertaining Robby Cox with his 3-piece band. And finally, as you are out and about enjoying all the free live music in town, please take notice of the new lighted TIP jars near all the stages. Please show your appreciation for the musicians and the venue owners for bringing you such great, free entertainment. Toss a few bucks in the ol’ tip jar and help keep music alive in Madison!
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