When the Off The Rails Worcester parking lot fills with classic cars for its Father’s Day car show, organizer Grayson LaCroix will be there not only to keep an eye on proceedings, but to show off her pride and joy: the 1964 Buick Skylark she drives to work every day.

“It was a project car that I bought during COVID with my dad and fixed up. We spent a lot of time putting it together and made a lot of great memories,” LaCroix said. “It’s my favorite car everywhere I go because of all of the memories behind it, traveling to North Carolina to pick it up.”

LaCroix, who books live performers at Off The Rails, is bringing vintage wheels, live music, and even tattooing to the venue’s parking lot for a special Father’s Day show, which will run from noon to 8 p.m. June 16.

Worcester band the Hip Swayers will play at 1 p.m., followed by Connecticut band the Flick Tones at 3:30 p.m. and New Jersey band the Atomic Bats at 5 p.m. Off The Rails’ outdoor barbecue tent will be serving up food all day, and artists from Crown Of Thorns Tattoo will set up a space where attendees can come get inked.

Parking for show cars and spectators costs $15 in advance and $20 at the door, and admission for anyone who parks elsewhere costs $10 in advance and $15 at the door. The event is free for children 10 years old and under, and a portion of ticket proceeds will go to Irreverent Warriors, a nonprofit that advocates for military veterans’ mental health.

Worcester’s car culture

Car shows are a regular presence in Worcester County, and local car enthusiasts show off just about everything you can drive on the roads, from modern sports cars to Great Depression-era trucks.

At some popular local shows, like the Los Fieles 508 car club’s Bring The Heat show, which welcomes all cars and bikes and regularly draws more than 100 vehicles, judges make the rounds and choose winners for a variety of categories based on factors like a car’s age, its country of origin, and its current condition.

However, at the Off The Rails Father’s Day show, there are no judges and no guidelines, and although the spotlight is on the classics, any nice ride is welcome.

“There’s no competition, it’s just for fun,” LaCroix said. “It’s geared toward classic car owners, but all cars are welcome. We know there’s a big car culture in Worcester, so we’re not limiting it to classic cars.”

LaCroix grew up tagging along with her parents, both of whom own classic cars, at car shows throughout Central Massachusetts.

The combination of cars, bands, and artwork at the yearly Milltown Hot Rod Rock N Roll Weekend, which takes place in Sturbridge every summer, was a particular inspiration, and when LaCroix began booking live performers at Off The Rails, a car show featuring live music seemed like a natural fit.

Breaking stereotypes

Off The Rails held two car shows last summer, both featuring local musicians and vendors and both focused on classic cars, which are generally categorized as cars that were manufactured more than 25 years ago.

“I don’t think there’s a lot of classic car shows going on in Worcester. I know there are a lot of sports cars and modern-day shows, so I was excited to bring something I’m more familiar with to the city,” LaCroix said.

The demographic at classic car shows can often skew older and male, and as a young woman who grew up surrounded by vintage car enthusiasts, LaCroix hopes to introduce a new generation and a new crowd to the hobby.

“I’m female and 24 years old, so I like to be able to break that stereotype,” LaCroix said. “I love driving by and having people see me and realize that girls are into this and younger people are into this. I hope people are more open to getting into something like that when they see a younger person, a woman, being into that culture.”

Father’s Day Classic Car Show

When: Noon to 8 p.m. June 16

Where: Off The Rails, 90 Commercial St., Worcester

How much: $10-$15, offtherailsworcester.com.