Trophies by the Decade: Lillian Methodist Men’s Club Car Show Fills the Pecan Grove Oct. 25
The Lillian Methodist Men’s Club’s Best of Decades Car Show runs 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 25 in the pecan grove at U.S. 98 and Perdido Street, with decade trophies, barbecue, music and a spark plug toss.
LILLIAN, Ala. — Chrome bumpers, tailfins and freshly waxed pickup trucks will line up under the pecan trees in Lillian this month, when the Lillian Methodist Men’s Club holds its Best of Decades Car Show.
The show is set for 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 25 in the pecan grove at U.S. Highway 98 and Perdido Street. Organizers have announced it for Saturday, Oct. 25; because Oct. 25 falls on a Sunday this year, anyone planning to attend or enter a car should confirm the date with the church before heading out.
The Lillian car show is about more than the cars. The day also includes music, a trash ’n treasure sale, a 50-50 raffle, door prizes, barbecue the club bills as the “world’s best,” and a spark plug toss competition.
How the Best of Decades judging works
Rather than lumping every entry into a single field, the show sorts cars by the decade they were built and hands out trophies to the top three in each. That format gives a 1930s coupe, a 1960s muscle car and a 1990s sports car a fair shot at hardware without competing head to head.
A slate of special awards rounds out the judging:
- Best of Show
- Pastor’s Choice
- Best GM
- Best Ford
- Best Truck
- Best Interior
- Best Engine
- Best Paint
- Most Unusual
Show details
- What: Lillian Methodist Men’s Club Best of Decades Car Show
- When: Oct. 25, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (organizers list it as a Saturday; confirm the date with the church)
- Where: Pecan grove at U.S. Highway 98 and Perdido Street, Lillian
- Also on tap: Music, barbecue, a trash ’n treasure sale, a 50-50 raffle, door prizes and a spark plug toss
- Awards: Top three in each decade, plus Best of Show, Pastor’s Choice, Best GM, Best Ford, Best Truck, Best Interior, Best Engine, Best Paint and Most Unusual
Organizers have not announced entry fees or spectator admission; car owners interested in showing a vehicle should contact the church for registration details.
What is a spark plug toss?
The spark plug toss is a lighthearted contest that turns up at car shows and church picnics across the South. Contestants pitch spark plugs at a target, much like a game of horseshoes or washers, and the closest or most accurate tosses win. It requires no mechanical skill and gives spectators, children included, a way to join in while the judges make their rounds.
A men’s club tradition
United Methodist Men’s groups are a fixture in Methodist congregations across the country, organizing fellowship, service projects and fundraisers. A car show in the church’s pecan grove is a natural fit: it brings neighbors and car lovers together for a day outdoors, while the barbecue plates, raffle tickets and treasure-sale finds help support the club’s work.
About Lillian
Lillian is an unincorporated community in southeastern Baldwin County, set along U.S. 98 on the western shore of Perdido Bay. The Lillian Bridge carries the highway across the bay into Florida, making the community a gateway between Baldwin County and the Pensacola area. That location makes the show an easy drive for car enthusiasts from Foley, Elberta and the beaches as well as from Escambia County, Fla.
Late October is prime car show season along the Gulf Coast, when cooler mornings make it more comfortable to spend a few hours walking a field of vintage vehicles. Spectators should bring a folding chair and plan to stay for lunch.
