Blast from the past

In the wake of a pre-summer heat wave, thousands of pedestrians hit the streets of downtown Petaluma Saturday to relive the smoking hot days of an era gone by.

Famously portrayed in George Lucas’s 1972 hit movie “American Graffiti,” the 1960s were back by all accounts as classic cars, chop-tops and flame-painted convertibles strutted their glory on downtown streets, including some of the original movie locations.

Three days of “Salute to American Graffiti” festivities came to a boil as the long-awaited Cruisin’ the Boulevard brought more than 240 registered entrant vehicles.

Rich Poremba, event board member, said the first-ever event held entirely in the downtown area was moving along smoothly. “This is what we wanted to do for a long time, but the police department said we should try baby steps. This year we said, ‘How about now?’” It obviously wasn’t a bad decision. “This is a family-friendly event,” said Poremba, adding, “We’re not serving alcohol. Cars and alcohol don’t mix!”

Shutting down major roads in preparation, a well-equipped police force seemed to enjoy, rather than fret, over this warm May day move from the outlet mall setting on Petaluma Boulevard North of the last two years. Previously, the car show was held at the mall and the cruise downtown. This year, it was an all-day event downtown.

“I leaned my head into that 1966 black Nova and I had to have my wife lean in too,” noted an excited Steve Johnson, on-duty motorcycle officer for the Petaluma Police Department, “‘Smell that,’ I said. ‘I know that smell, it smells like high school.’”

Onlookers came dressed to the T in cuffed jeans, poodle skirts and dark greaser glasses. Four bands graced the downtown area, including Johnny B. and the Speedshifters, keeping a consistent flow of era-accurate tunes as the day progressed.

Event chairs have wanted the day to take place in the midst of where the movie’s most famous scenes were shot. “The scene when the teenage girls throw a water balloon into Milner’s (Paul Le Mat’s) car was filmed right here on Western (at Petaluma Boulevard),” noted Poremba.

Shaded from the fourth straight day of sweat-breaking temperatures, some of the 1972 film’s most memorable characters greeted fans and signed autographs in that same spot on Western Avenue.

“I remember Petaluma looked like it does now,” said actress Candy Clark, who gladly signed photographs of herself as the tenacious “Deb.” “It hasn’t fallen for the “re-do” and still has that small-town feel, I love that.” Clark appears in the soon-to-be-released movie “Informant” with Matt Damon.

Cast members Le Mat, Bo Hopkins and Lynne Marie Stewart also took part in the day’s events. Stewart has gathered fans and friends from her days as Miss Yvonne in the 1980s TV show “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.” She currently stars as Charlie’s Mom on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” on FX.

At 3:50 p.m., the third annual cruise slowly proceeded down Kentucky Street. A small group of classic cars led a memorial drive in honor of deceased cast member and former “Salute” participant Manual Padilla Jr. Some of Padilla’s family members were present to take part in the cruise, riding in a rose-colored 1951 mercury chop-top. The parade of cars quickly grew into the hundreds as American classics streamed onto Petaluma Boulevard.

Mark Curran of Petaluma, his son, Taylor, and a car load of cousins eagerly waited their turn to take their cherry 1930 model A Coupe for a spin.

“We used to go to the car show in San Rafael, but this one’s better,” said Gloria Conradi of Lagunitas. She and son Frederick Conradi, a self-proclaimed classic car enthusiast, took shade under some large redwood trees as engines roared past.

Hugh Nelson of Santa Rosa wasn’t just one of the lucky 200-plus car owners behind the wheel in his pristinely kept 1966 Dodge Polara. He was also responsible, along with his crew at All About Classics of Santa Rosa, for the re-building and re-dismantling of the famous Fairlane 500 police car on Thursday at the “new” Jerry’s Cherries site on Petaluma Boulevard North.

After three years, “Salute to American Graffiti” is planning on growth for 2009. At $50 per entrant, car slots sold out in two days. More are planned for next year, which may mean more money for the life-saving services this community event is fund raising for. This year’s proceeds will benefit the purchase of more automatic external defibrillators for local schools and community buildings, as well as to support the Petaluma Fire Department’s needs for new equipment.

You can look up more on the yearly event at www.americangraffiti.net.

(Meloni Courtway is a freelance writer for the Argus Courier. Contact her at mcourtway@sbcglobal.net.)