Ford Mustangs of all shapes, colors and sizes blazed down to Port Orchard’s waterfront Sunday for the 24th Annual Mustangs on the Waterfont event.
The event, hosted by the Kitsap Mustang Club, featured more than 200 Ford Mustangs ranging from 1964 classic beauties to 2012 high-performance machines.
Susan Stadshaug, Kitsap Mustang Club’s co-chair, said all of the engine-revving and the happy faces present at the event were a sight, even if the weather was a little tricky in the morning hours.
“It was kind of overcast, but then it cleared,” she said. “All-in-all, it was perfect.”
Thirty-three awards from first through third place were handed out in a variety of different categories, Stadshaug said. Awards for furthest travel, participation and Mayor’s Choice, which was decided by Port Orchard Mayor Tim Matthes, were celebrated with trophies.
The awards for the club’s two Best in Show categories, one for the classic Mustangs between built from 1964-78 and an award for more contemporary models were the real draw of the event, Stadshaug said. Shelby Mustangs, built by Ford Mustang and Shelby American, were winners in both categories, with a 1966 GT350 and a 2008 Shelby GT500 Supersnake taking both Best in Show awards.
Stadshaug said the passing of Shelby American’s founder, Carroll Shelby, earlier this year had everyone paying special attention to the notoriously quick Shelby model cars.
“The Shelby cars were at a premium this year,” she said.
Mustangs on the Waterfront is the area’s only exclusive Ford Mustang event, and draws a crowd of both spectators and car aficionados.
This year’s award for furthest travel came from a man who drove from Newport, R.I.
Stadshaug said the club, which features nearly 60 members from around Kitsap County, works hard each year to put on the annual show.
“It’s a great show because of the club members,” she said.
The event, held the last Sunday of July, will mark it’s 25th year next year. Many special activities are already in the works, Stadshaug said. But, coming off of another successful event, it’s hard to imagine how they car club can again top themselves.
“I don’t know what we are going to do to top this year,” she said.
