Organizers propose Oct. 18 vintage car rally in Middleburg; council raises safety, scheduling concerns

Organizers of a proposed vintage car rally asked the Middleburg Town Council on July 24 for feedback on a plan to finish a rally on South Madison Street and Federal Street on Saturday, Oct. 18, and to donate part of registration fees to the local charity 7 Loaves.

The proposal came from local enthusiasts who said the event would start at Summit Point Raceway and drive into Middleburg for an evening “vintage celebration.” Ryan (presenter) and Jason (presenter) said they expect up to 45 cars to register for the Summit Point portion, that Summit Point would keep most of the entry fee, and that the Middleburg portion would involve closing portions of South Madison and Federal Streets for a parked-car display behind Nomad. "We want to put a Band-Aid on this," Ryan said, adding that the event is meant to fill the gap left while the Mille Miglia-related event is not running this year.

Council and staff members stressed that the presentation was informational only and that no permit had been submitted. "This is a conversation tonight — council could provide feedback, and, ultimately, if they decide to submit a permit, it would be up to me to determine whether they meet the criteria," Town Manager Danny Davis told the presenters.

Why it matters: council members said the proposed date coincides with Middleburg’s film festival, which uses buses to transport attendees to and from the Hill School, and the overlap could create major conflicts for bus access, crowding and parking. Council members repeatedly asked the organizers to work with the film festival and Salamander resort staff to ensure buses can get through and to produce a detailed logistics plan before a permit application would be considered.

Key details and questions raised - Route and finish: Organizers said cars would depart Summit Point Raceway, travel to Middleburg and finish on South Madison/Federal Street near Nomad and the Hill School. They emphasized a low-speed procession and a parked-car display. - Registration and charity: Organizers said Summit Point would charge $600 per car, keep about $500, and that $100 per car would be donated to 7 Loaves. Organizers said event expenses would not be taken from the $100 designated for charity. - Capacity: Organizers estimated a maximum of about 45 cars could travel to Summit Point, with fewer expected to return to Middleburg. - Public safety staffing: Organizers proposed three police officers to staff the event; they said they were not asking the town to pay for officer overtime. Council members asked the presenters to identify who would cover off-duty officer pay or other overtime costs. - Timing: Organizers said cars would need to depart Summit Point early enough for on-site activities and a children’s run before dark; they proposed shutting down streets until about 8:30 p.m. or later, similar to past events. - Logistics and contingency planning: Council members repeatedly requested a detailed written plan: arrival and departure times, staging, crowd-control barriers, first-aid/accident contingencies, weather plan, number and location of porta-potties, and coordination with the film festival and Salamander.

Council feedback and next steps - Work with the film festival and Salamander: Multiple council members and Town Manager Davis said the organizers must coordinate with the film festival to confirm bus routes and timing. "That's not for us to figure out how to accommodate. That's for you guys to figure out and work with them," Davis said. - Parking, business impact and timing: Council members noted South Madison businesses would likely lose parking for the day and urged organizers to secure written support from affected businesses; the presenters reported they already have letters of support from several businesses. - Data and testing: Council members suggested moving the town’s portable speed-display signs to gather additional data downtown, and asked the organizers to run a test of the largest bus turn they expect to encounter. - Permit: Organizers had not filed a special-event permit as of the meeting. Town Manager Davis said he would determine whether any permit submitted later meets the town’s special-events criteria but asked the presenters to return with a checklist and the requested logistics details.

Quotations - "We want to bring something in the meantime that gets us back to what we lost," Ryan said of the rally effort, referring to the Mille Miglia-related event that is not taking place this year. - "This is a conversation tonight — council could provide feedback...if they decide to submit a permit, it would be up to me to determine whether they meet the criteria," Town Manager Danny Davis told presenters. - "The only suggestion we can have is going up to the Exxon, taking a right, and coming back around," the chief of police said when discussing possible bus turning alternatives; the chief also flagged a tight turn where a bus could have difficulty.

Ending: Organizers agreed to follow up with the film festival organizers, Salamander staff and the town to produce a written logistics checklist and to consider alternative end locations if the Oct. 18 date proves infeasible. No permit or vote was requested or taken at the July 24 meeting.