Echo PTO revs up for annual car show

ECHO — The Echo Parent-Teacher Organization is gearing up for a full day of fun and fundraisers as the Echo Car Show hits the pavement on Memorial Day weekend in downtown Echo.

All makes and models can enter. Regular registration is $25 or $5 for students. Vehicle check-in is Saturday, May 27, 8 a.m. Special trophies, created by industrial arts students, will be awarded at 3 p.m.

“The 3-D art and recycled vehicle parts make them truly one-of-a-kind,” Marie Rose said about the trophies.

Rose, Echo PTO past president, said the day revs up with vendors and crafts in the park, food booths and raffle items. And the event shifts gears in the evening with a free concert from 5-8 p.m. at Echo Ridge Cellars. Standard Deviation of La Grande will crank up familiar favorites, classic blues, rock and country from 5-8 p.m.

Community involvement with local businesses, clubs and individuals, Rose said, has contributed to the event’s success. In addition, she said several student groups will host fundraisers, including a raffle by the school’s trap shooting team and biscuits and gravy served by the 11th grade class.

“We will have both food and craft vendors at the car show,” Rose said. “From sausages and sweet treats to tools and wood crafts, we have a variety of options for people to shop.”

The Echo PTO, she said, took over the fundraising event in 2019 to continue the legacy of the Automobile Club of Echo. The event began more than a decade ago when the student-led car club hosted a small show on the school’s football field.

It now serves as the PTO’s main fundraiser. Rose said money raised at the Echo Car Show is used for scholarships, academic activities and other needs at the school.

“We have been able to give so much back to the students thanks to support from Echo and our surrounding communities,” she said. “It is truly appreciated.”

For more information or to register vehicles in advance, visit bit.ly/3ntt4Vu. For questions, call 541-376-8436.