It wasn’t the Florida Strawberry Festival that caught the eye of German television producer Andreas Vollbach while he was doing research online for an upcoming show.
Instead, it was Plant City’s Strawberry Classic Car Show that sparked interest.
Vollbach works for “Auto Mobil,” Germany’s most successful and longest running TV magazine on automobiles. It airs every Sunday and attracts 1.3 million viewers. The show has been on air since 1995 and started as “Auto Motor und Sport TV.”
“I was looking for a place that would provide a nice backdrop for the intro shots of the show,” Vollbach said. “I was amazed when I learned that there will be up to 300 cars at the show. Also, it might be a good place to do some more research on location, see cars, meet people.”
The episode will focus on the entire car scene in Florida, which includes everything from swamp buggies and donks to replicas and sports cars.
Car show chairman Benny Lubrano said the Plant City show should prove to be perfect for Vollbach’s show.
“We have a unique show in that it is held in and around McCall Park, with all the quaintness of the downtown area,” Lubrano said. “It’s a great way to introduce car show participants and spectators to our great city. Hopefully, those attending will come back again and spend time in our community and support the local merchants of the area.”
Vollbach contacted the car show committee by email to arrange a date for filming. This weekend’s show will feature Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models.
“It’s very exciting that any production, much less one from Germany, would like to do a story on the Strawberry Classic Car Show,” Lubrano said. “I feel that it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to showcase our 15-year history of doing monthly shows in Plant City.”
On average, the car show has about 300 cars and trucks each month. With the 16th anniversary show in April, Lubrano said that number could increase to as many as 400. About 750 to 1,000 people come to browse through the show and enjoy the vendors, which sell food, T-shirts, auto accessories, insurance and other products. A kids zone keeps children happy with bounce houses, clowns and free face painting.
The car shows take place on the third Saturday of every month. The frequency of the show was another factor that caught Vollbach’s eye.
“I was amazed to learn that there is a car show taking place almost every other weekend in the Tampa area,” Vollbach said. “We don’t have so many shows on a regular basis in Germany. Looks like the car scene is strong.”
Lubrano agrees. Several area clubs come to the Plant City show on a regular basis, including the Neon Cruisers, Imperial Mustang Club, MOPAR of Tampa, and a Corvette club.
Host Birte Karalus, a cameraman and a sound technician will join Vollbach during filming. Lubrano has plans to walk them around the show along with other show committee members such as Tom Duramas, David Gott, Myrle Henry, Leo “Punk” Watson, Eric Barber and Robert Woods.
Instead of trophies, the Plant City Car Show gives out unique, hand-fabricated “strawberry” awards. Woods, a local metal artist, fabricates the metal strawberry, and Lubrano paints the statue. Usually, three trophies are given per show, but while the film crew is in town, six strawberries will be awarded.
The show will air on Feb. 3 in Germany and will be streamed online at voxnow.de/auto-mobil.php for free two weeks after date of broadcast.
IF YOU GO
Strawberry Classic Car Show
WHEN: 4 to 8 p.m. Jan. 19
WHERE: McCall Park, Historic Downtown Plant City