New Washougal event promises ‘weirdest, strangest car show’

When people ask AJ Bogue about the types of vehicles that he’s hoping to show off at the upcoming car show that he’s organizing, he usually tells them something like this: “If you can drive it to 54-40 Brewing Company and pay the $25 entry fee, it’s in.” So could somebody enter their snowmobile? Absolutely. How about their all-terrain vehicle? Sure thing. Golf cart? Tricycle? Rebuilt clunker? Clown car? Yes, yes, yes and most definitely yes. “This is going to be the weirdest, strangest car show you’ve ever seen,” said Bogue, a Washougal resident, longtime community volunteer, and car enthusiast. The first annual “Cruise to the Shoug” car show, a fundraiser for the Camas-Washougal Community Chest (CWCC) nonprofit organization, will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, at 54-40 Brewing Company, 3801 South Truman St., Washougal. The event will feature live music, a 50-50 raffle, fan judging, and prizes for the winners of various categories, including People’s Choice (13 and older); Kids’ Choice (12 and younger); Fan-Favorite Motorcycle; Fan-Favorite Truck; Weirdest Ride; Most Attention to Detail; and Best Daily Driver. “Most car shows are all about the higher-end, nicer cars, and that’s fine,” said Bogue, a CWCC board member. “There will be some of those (at our show). But I want some weird stuff, too. That’s the direction we’re trying to push this, so that it’s a little bit more unique, a little different. And I also think that’ll be good for the kids, because kids get bored with cars they can’t touch or do anything with.” Bogue pitched his car-show idea, along with many others, to his fellow board members during a meeting in March as a way to replace the Outlaw Fest, one of the CWCC’s major fundraisers that was canceled due to a lack of space at 54-40 Brewing Company. “Everything everybody was talking about were these little, tiny things that weren’t going to make us any money at all,” Bogue said. “I wanted something a little bigger, but also something that could become an annual event, because we need it. We’re seeing our income grow smaller and smaller year after year after year.” Bogue presented a list to the board that contained about 20 fundraiser ideas. “I just whipped them all out really quick,” he said. “They poo-pooed some of them, which of course I understood. For a couple of them, they said, ‘Maybe we could do that next year.’ The car show was (on the list). I was like, ‘I know a lot of car people. I’m a car guy. This is what I do.’ They said, ‘Which one is the simplest to put together?’ I said, ‘I’m guessing the car show.’” Once the idea was approved, Bogue went to work to find a suitable location for the event. “It is almost impossible,” he said. “I went to 14 different areas and businesses trying to find a place.” While talking to CWCC Board member Susan Bennett at 54-40 Brewing Company, Bogue mentioned his trouble securing a site and Bennett suggested he might want to ask 54-40 owner Bolt Minister. “ Bolt comes by and says, ‘Ask Bolt what?’” Bogue recalled. “I said, ‘Here’s what I’m thinking,’ and told him, and he said, ‘Yeah, we’ll do it.’” 54-40 Brewing Company is providing all of its parking spots and secured some additional parking spots from the surrounding area for the event, according to Bogue, who added that the event will have space for 49 entries. All proceeds from the event will go directly to the CWCC and be used to fund grants to nonprofits providing services in Camas or Washougal in 2025. “This year, my goal is to make at least $1,500, which is (equal to) three of the events that we’ve done this year, tripling what we normally do and getting close to what we did for Outlaw Fest,” he said. Bogue also stated that he hopes the family friendly car show can grow in future years. “I’m really looking forward to it because I think it’s going to be the beginning of something big,” he said. “I’m nervous as all get-out. I’ve been to thousands of car shows, but this is the first car show I’ve ever done.” Putting a show on from scratch “with almost zero help has been stressful,” Bogue said. “But I think two years from now we’ll look back at this and go, ‘What were we worried about?’” Registration costs $25 and can be completed in-person on the day of the event or online at bit.ly/CruiseToTheShoug2024. Admission is free for spectators. For more information, call Bogue at 360-843-6918.

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