Merrill community celebrates Labor Day with car show, parade

MERRILL, Wis. (WSAW) - Merrill’s annual Labor Day parade and car show is something people keep coming back to. The Lions Club Car Show featured more than 250 cars.

Pat McCarthy, coordinator of the Wisconsin Valley Corvette Club, has shown his red Corvette at the event for 20 years.

“This is one of our favorite shows. We like to come here. On Labor Day, it’s kind of our tradition,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy bought his Corvette after he retired.

“It’s one of the last cars that was built in St. Louis. And it was in Old Car Magazine, and they did a story on it. And it has the last carburetor that a Corvette had,” McCarthy said.

The show gives McCarthy a chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones.

“It’s a lot of fun. Lots of our friends are here,” McCarthy said.

Celebrating Labor Day

The car was McCarthy’s retirement gift to himself after a career as a tech-ed teacher and factory worker. He said the Lions Club Car Show is a way for him to celebrate the holiday.

“Labor Day is not the boss’s day. This is the labor union’s day. And they’re the ones that made this day. And I was in a couple of unions, and so it’s special to me,” McCarthy said.

Strong turnout

Gary Porath, co-chairman of the Lions Club Car Show, has helped with the show for decades. He said the show has had a strong turnout this year.

“The fact that we get this beautiful weather and people aren’t afraid to bring out their nice cars, we get an excellent turnout. And same with after the parade, people show up to come and view the cars and eat some food at the food stands. It’s a good time,” Porath said.

“So everybody gets to relax, get a three-day weekend, and honor the people that hard work has made America what it is today,” Porath said.

People also attended Merrill’s Labor Day parade, which has been a community tradition for more than 50 years. Some cars from the parade were also entered in the car show.

Leah Chapman, a spectator at the Lions Club Car Show, said she enjoys looking at MGBs at the event. It’s also a way for her to connect with people.

“Labor Day is just about the community and, you know, just celebrating everybody who, you know, no matter what, we’re all American. We’re all just working hard to make a living,” Chapman said.

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