Hundreds Brave the Heat for the 5th Annual Bumpers, Bikes and Bands Festival

Hundreds of car and motorcycle enthusiasts poured into Plymouth's historic Old Village on Sunday for the Bumpers, Bikes and Bands festival, Plymouth’s annual showcase of classic cars and custom motorcycles.

 “It’s really nice,” said Plymouth resident Melody Johnson. “It’s definitely Plymouth. It brings out some of the things in the Old Village that made it the little town it was when I was growing up.”

Car enthusiasts and admirers alike jammed the streets, peeking under the hoods of some of the finest Michigan-made muscle cars in the country. They swapped stories of the trade and swooned to the sounds of live music provided by local cover band Steve King and the Dittilies.

From noon to 5 p.m., people strolled the block, ducking into the shops, nibbling on foods offered out on the sidewalks and looking in awe at the crisp paint jobs and polished chrome of vintage cars that looked as though they had just rolled off the assembly line.

“Between the live music, the cars and the people, it’s a great event,” said Roger Heikkinen, a Northville resident who had his 1967 Chevy Camaro SS on display. “There’s also a lot of commonality among those who come to these shows.”

Organizers said they expected between 75 and 100 cars, as well as up to 50 motorcycles to be registered for the event, though most car owners seemed to agree that the trunout wasn't quite what it was in previous years.

"The number of cars is down this year," said Greg Carrier, an Ann Arbor resident who brought out his 1972 Oldsmobile 442. He cited Sunday's near 90-degree heat as the main deterrent. "It's a really great show, though. It's nice to be able to sit back out here in the grass and relax."

Despite lighter-than-usual participation, those on hand weren't worried about a decline in interest of show cars. Ypsilanti resident John Ottino — who was showing off his 1967 Plymouth GTX — said car enthusiasts spend most weekends of the summer at shows throughout the state, and sometimes can't make them all.

"You probably have more guys involved in car hobbies in Southeast Michigan than anywhere else in the country,' he said.