Corvette Show Coming Saturday to White Lake's Alpine Valley

If you see a host of Corvettes driving down Highland Road on Saturday, particularly around White Lake's , don’t be alarmed. The Dream Cruise is staying along Woodward Avenue.

The annual Corvettes America Show will be held from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Alpine Valley. Corvette owners from throughout the country, including from as far away as California and Texas, are expected to attend as part of the festivities leading up to the Woodward Dream Cruise the following weekend. 

Part of the event will include a Corvette Show and Shine competition judged by a panel of Corvette enthusiasts. This national event will include displays of historical and special interest Corvettes, with sponsors and vendors that comprise some of the country’s best-known Corvette suppliers also in attendance. 

Sponsored by America’s Corvette Club (ACC) and Cauley Performance Automotive in Farmington Hills, Corvettes America is open to spectators for $10 per vehicle. The show will be held rain or shine.

White Lake resident Richard Heldenbrand is the president of ACC and said he expects as many as 300 Corvettes on site at any one time Saturday. 

“We’ll have some activities the whole weekend,” said Heldenbrand, who said the show is held every year in southeastern Michigan. “There will be many driver events, but it is a great opportunity for members to socialize and share their love of the Corvette.” 

The Corvettes that will be parked at Alpine Valley will likely come and go throughout the day, and more than 1,000 may be there during the seven-hour event, he said. Registration for show Corvettes starts at 7:30 a.m. Saturday.

While ACC members do enjoy talking about their favorite models and sharing stories from the road, Corvette drivers share many other similarities, according to Heldenbrand. 

“We enjoy driving, and we enjoy the outside,” he said. Local members often get together monthly at Cauley Performance Automotive or at other locations throughout the area, and many have formed close friendships.

“It’s a hobby we all have, but there is also a real love of cars,” Heldenbrand said.

This is the first year that the Corvettes America Show will be held at Alpine Valley. Past venues include the General Motors Tech Center in Warren, Pine Knob Golf Course in Clarkston and Greenmead Historical Park in Livonia. 

“Every year, we look for a venue that we can rely on that has the space, the parking and (other) amenities for us,” Heldenbrand said. “We also need a place where there isn’t much else going on during the summer, so the ski hill is a perfect fit.” 

If the venue does turn out to be ideal, future shows might be held at Alpine Valley, Heldenbrand said. 

The Show and Shine competition is judged based on stock, modified and custom classes ranging over a period of years. The registration fee is $20-$30 per Corvette. There is also a sanctioned People’s Choice competition, during which spectators may vote for their favorite Corvette. Vehicles belonging to members of the ACC will be shown for display purposes only; all awards in the two competitions will be presented to “guest” Corvettes. 

For more information on the show, email info@corvettesamerica.org or call the ACC’s hotline, 248-208-0323. Additional information is also available at corvettesamerica.corg.