08/11/2026
We have been trying to find the right words to say thank you for Hot Summer Nights 2026 and honestly, I’m not sure there are enough of them. When we started talking about doing a car show and festival, there were a lot of questions. Would people come? Would businesses support us? Would we have enough cars? Would everything come together?
And then Friday night happened. ❤️
**50 cars showed up.**
Our vendors showed up.
Our sponsors showed up.
Our volunteers showed up.
Our community showed up. Over 300 tickets sold and this doesn't include the ones who got in FREE!!
And together, YOU made our very first Hot Summer Nights something really special.**
I am so incredibly proud to say that we brought in $4,200 in sponsorships and over $3,100 from car registrations, gate admission, and additional donations giving us a total income of $7,350.
After expenses, we were able to raise over $4,600 for the Mears-McCroan Scholarship Fund. 🎓❤️
That number means so much to us because this wasn't just about putting on a car show. It was about bringing people together, creating something our community could enjoy, and giving back to students in our community.
❤️ TO OUR SPONSORS…
Thank you for believing in this event before you even knew what it would become.
*Cruisin' Sponsor:
❤️ Survival Flight
*Chrome Sponsors:
🧡 B52 Transports
🧡 Calhoun Liberty Credit Union
🧡 Hinson House Bed & Breakfast
🧡 Waldorff ACE Hardware
🧡 Mallory Towing & Recovery
*Checkered Flag Sponsors:
🏁 Williams Paint & Body Shop
🏁 Lindy's Fried Chicken
🏁 Merle Norman
*Green Light Sponsors:
💚 Peoples South Bank
💚 CPWG Constructors
Your sponsorship wasn't just a check. It was a vote of confidence in an idea that was still just an idea. Thank you for taking that chance on us.
🍔 TO OUR FOOD & CRAFT VENDORS…
Thank you for bringing your businesses, your food, your creativity, and your smiles to the airport!
You helped make the event feel like a true festival, and we are so grateful you chose to be part of our first year.
🎶 TO THE CURTIS WILLIAMS BAND…
Thank you for giving us the soundtrack to the night! You helped create the atmosphere that made people want to stay, visit, laugh, and enjoy the evening.
❤️ AND THEN THERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE FOR ME…
There is no way I could have done this alone.
**Cissy Barfield, Clerk of Court & husband Jared**
**Supervisor of Elections, Sharon Chason**
**Sheriff Michael Bryant**
**Chief Deputy Appraiser, Clay Riddle & wife Brittany**
**Airport Manager, Rob Sims & wife Amanda**
**Maintenance Department — Troy Bishop & Eric Claro**
Thank you for giving your time, your energy, and your willingness to jump in wherever you were needed. Please forgive us if I've left someone out... our brains are still recovering!
A very special shout-out to Bolten Drew, Robin O'Bryan & Corey O'Bryan for all the behind-the-scenes help. So much of what makes an event successful happens where nobody sees it — and you guys were there helping make it happen.
And **Bill Sims**… thank you for the use of the golf cart. 😂 You have no idea how much you saved our legs and feet that night!
*Shoutout to WYBT-FM Jim Dooley for advertising the event !!!
🚗 AND TO EVERYONE WHO CAME…
To the people who brought a car.
To the people who registered.
To the people who bought a ticket.
To the families who came out for the evening.
To the people who grabbed dinner from a food truck.
To those who shopped with our vendors.
To those who made an extra donation.
To everyone who shared a post, invited a friend, or simply told someone about the event…
**THANK YOU.**
You could have spent your Friday night anywhere, and you chose to spend it with us at the airport. That means more than you know.
As I look back at the pictures, the cars, the people, and everything that happened that night, I realize that **Hot Summer Nights became so much bigger than the event we originally imagined.**
It became a community coming together.
And that is something I will never take for granted. ❤️
For a **FIRST YEAR**, I couldn't be more proud.
And I certainly don't think we're done yet. 😉
🔥 **Hot Summer Nights 2026 was just the beginning.** 🔥
We're already looking forward to making it **BIGGER, BETTER & HOTTER next year!**
From the bottom of my heart, **THANK YOU for believing in this event, supporting this event, and making it a success.**
**Calhoun County, you showed up. And you showed out.** ❤️🇺🇸
Until next year…
**Keep cruisin'.** 🚗☀️🔥
