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Magic Dragon Street Meet takes over the Bagnell Dam Strip.
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Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. -- It didn't seem possible, but the largest open-class car show of its kind in Central Missouri is even bigger and better in its 23rd year.
When the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce plays host to the Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals (presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts) on Friday, April 29 through May 1, the event will boast a brand new second show called Generation NEXT Magic Dragon held simultaneously at a second site. The three-day, two-show extravaganza starts its engine with the Street Meet on Friday at the Bagnell Dam Strip in Lake Ozark and the second show, Generation NEXT Magic Dragon, begins Saturday, April 30 at Prewitt's Point in Osage Beach. Admission is FREE to all events and the public is invited to attend.
"We're gearing up for the 2011 show and we're really excited about it," says Michelle Cook, director of marketing for the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. "The Magic Dragon Car Shows are what many consider the kickoff to the summer season here at Lake of the Ozarks and so many people love the atmosphere of the Street Meet being on the Bagnell Dam Strip as opposed to being in a parking lot. The location adds to the classic feel of the event and is extremely popular."
Last year, the Street Meet set a record with 1,004 vehicles and had an estimated 10,000 people attend the event. This year, the event organizers hope to eclipse both of those marks.
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Family and friends alike can enjoy all the classic cars on the Bagnell Dam Strip.
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In fact, the Street Meet has become so popular, vendors, competitors and visitors to the show were beginning to feel a bit of a real-estate crunch. So instead of limiting the show, organizers decided to expand the festival with a second show: the GenNEXT Magic Dragon. Where the Street Meet focuses on the classic and modern vehicles, the GenNEXT event is geared toward the next generation of car enthusiasts. "We're really thrilled about it," said Cook. "We've planned a high-energy event to compliment the traditional Street Meet Nationals and it should be a great addition and a lot of fun for visitors to the show."
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2011 marks the inauguration of
Generation NEXT Magic Dragon.
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The GenNEXT show, which kicks off at 8 a.m. on Saturday, primarily concentrates on newer imports and domestics that are fully customized from bumper to bumper. Scion, the event's main sponsor, will have their 18-wheeler with an interactive sound and gaming station, its Urban Utility Vehicle and some of their "tricked out" racers. O'Reilly Auto Parts, Monster Energy Drinks, Bootleggers Sports Book & Grill and Excess Customz will be on hand, as well as GenNEXT disc jockey AK to provide music and pump up the volume at the new location. The GenNEXT show has everyone excited about this year's event, but the Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals is still the main attraction for those visiting the Bagnell Dam Strip in Lake Ozark. Traditionally, the open-class show includes cars, trucks and motorcycles of every make and model and begins at the historic strip at Lake Ozark on Friday at Noon. Friday night, the show really shifts into overdrive with the 6 p.m. Friday Night Fever Cruise. The Cruise begins at Christ the King Lutheran Church (located at 1700 Bagnell Dam Blvd.), heads across the Dam, loops around Highway 54 to Business 54 and then parades down Bagnell Dam Blvd. back to the strip. The parade is always a crowd favorite, so bring your portable chair and line the roads to check out all of the stunning automotive works of art. The Street Meet announces the return of the popular Make and Take model car promotion for the kids, where children build a model 1969 Camaro and then take it home, free of charge, as a Street Meet souvenir - thanks to the generous sponsorship of Hawken Carstar. |
Kids can take home a model Camaro, while adults can register to win a new 2011 Chevy Camaro.
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Adults who feel left out by the model promotion can rest easy, because the Daybreak Rotary organization is giving away a 2011 Chevy Camaro in its 6th Annual Auto Raffle. The drawing takes place on Sunday following the awards ceremony, but just in case spectators want to dream a little earlier about owning a new Camaro, the car is on display throughout the Street Meet at the main stage. Disc jockey Leo Case returns to the strip to provide plenty of music to get all the action revved up. For a small donation to area youth organizations, parking for the Street Meet is available at either end of the strip. Free shuttles are provided for patrons to and from the parking lots throughout the Street Meet. Additional sponsors include Summer USA, Central Bank of Lake of the Ozarks, Speed Tweekerz, First National Bank, Direct Tools Outlet, Crown Power and Equipment and Missouri Eagle. For car entries, vending information, to view sponsors, for more details and a complete schedule of events, contact the Lake Area Chamber at (573) 964-1008 or visit the meet on the web at www.MagicDragonStreetMeet.com. For more information about lodging, dining, shopping, events and attractions throughout the Lake area, contact the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau at 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) or visit the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau's web site, www.FunLake.com. # # # |