SANTA CRUZ — Thousands of people from across the state and country filled the Santa Cruz Wharf on a brisk and partly foggy Saturday to check out nearly 200 classic cars, crafted from wood and metal, at the 28th annual Woodies on the Wharf classic car show. At this year’s show, Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley, alongside Parks and Recreation Director Tony Elliot and members of the Santa Cruz Woodies Club, presented a proclamation in honor of Santa Cruz Woodies, which recognizes June 22, 2024 as “Santa Cruz Woodies and Woodies on the Wharf Day.” “This is a day where everyone on the Wharf is a Santa Cruz resident and a part of Santa Cruz history,” said Keeley.
“When you look at these beautiful, wonderful vehicles you’ve brought here, each one has a great story to it and my guess is a lot of those stories connect directly to the surfing world and Santa Cruz is very proud of our connection to the surf world.” The iconic Santa Cruz event began in 1993 when the Santa Cruz Woodies crew teamed up with the city of Santa Cruz, and continues today as a tradition not only for the woodie owners, but for families near and far who come year after year. To this day, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department still plays a pivotal role in the unique car show’s preparation.
“There are several other woodie events around the country that these folks travel to and everyone says that this one is the best,” said Wharf Recreation Coordinator Annalise Bryant. “We just try to ma.
