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20th-Annual Benicia Classic Car Show: A Successful Day for the Panther Band

Calendar still packed for final five weeks of school year.

On Sunday, April 28, the Benicia High School Panther Band hosted its 20th-Annual Classic Car Show.  More than 400 classic vehicles (pre-1976 cars, trucks and tractors) gathered at the waterfront.  Together, owners and guests enjoyed good weather, car stories, food and a live performance from the Panther Jazz Band.  

There were also a number of awards given out to various owners, with the Best In Show going to a 1938 Lincoln convertible owned by Peter Bradford.  Dalt Williams, the former Panther Band Music Director who started this event 20 years ago, was on hand to present the award. 

“You are supporting the band program where they learn much more than music, and that’s important in today’s society,” Williams said to the crowd.

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This fundraiser is an important one to the Panther Band, whose music program is primarily funded by community and family donations.  This is also the band's largest fundraiser, where all the work was staffed with families, band students, and a strong alumni presence.  No job was too big or small: From emptying trash, to directing the entrance and exit of the car show vehicles, everyone had an assigned station.  

Event Chairperson Eric Watabayashi and his committee had been meeting and planning this major event since early fall.  He received good feedback at the close of the show.  

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“As a result of the dedicated efforts of our Panther Band Booster leaders and support of Ann Dunleavy and other city leaders, we had a very successful event," he said. "Our ultimate compliment was that many car owners lingered on the Green after the show had long ended.” 

The Panther Band also received extremely generous support from a large number of sponsors.  One of the sponsors who was seated near the band, said he was quite impressed with the caliber of the high school jazz musicians.  He felt the musicians sounded like a professional band due to their strong, loud and precise technique. 

The jazz band can be heard at Benicia High School this Wednesday, May 8 at 7 p.m., at a performance with the Vallejo Community Jazz Band.  The two bands will alternate back and forth throughout the concert, and the $5 suggested donation will be well worth the high quality of music being played that evening.  The band continues to move at full speed throughout May and June with two marching competitions, two concerts, orientation, its awards banquet, its Trytunes fundraiser and graduation.  

The Panther Band would like to thank its generous sponsors: Albany Ford, Blackhawk Automotive Museum, Crown Concord, Regal Collision Repair, Specialty Sales Classics, Team Superstores, Alex's Automotive, Allied Waste Services, Lathrop Construction Associates, Superheat FGH, Toyota Vallejo, and H Bee Jewelry in San Pablo for their donation of a diamond pendant raffle prize. 

Also, our thanks to the Valero Fire Department for climbing the engine ladder to take the panorama shots.

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