Kevin Carter gives a final shine to his 1948 Nash Ambassador at the Friday Festival on July 12. Toni Milbourne

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Drivers with their classic cars arrived early in the afternoon on Friday to get a prime spot for the Cruise-In held in conjunction with Shepherdstown Volunteer Fire Department’s annual Bake Auction.

The grassy hillside beside the fire department on Route 45 saw cars lining up and car owners giving a final once over to their rides as folks arrived to walk among the cars and hear a little about them. Kevin Carter, of Shepherdstown, brought two of his beauties to show off. He was found giving a final wipe to the hood of his 1948 Nash Ambassador, a car he has owned for 11 years. It sat next to his 1962 Rambler Classic, a vehicle he bought right out of high school.

“I’m two years younger than the car,” Carter said, adding that his grandfather got it new. Carter shared that it was his third time bringing both of the cars to the cruise in event.

Down the line return cruisers could be found as they parked next to friends and made some new ones.

Show organizer Aaron Raines explained that other than the year of Covid, the cruise in has been held for nine years. While he hoped for 100 cars, approximately 70 showed up throughout the afternoon into the balmy hours of evening. Raines welcomed each driver as they arrived, handing out a small token bag of goodies and directing them to parking spots on the lawn. One of the oldest vehicles, if not the oldest for the night, was a 1930 Model A Ford driven in by Nelson Chewning with Debbie LeMaster along for the ride.

Honorary fire chief Abby Fluharty, right, delivers a cake to Kara Day, after Day secured the winning bid of $675 for the treat at the Friday Festival on July 12. Toni Milbourne

While car folks perused the vehicles parked on the hillside, folks gathered inside the fire department’s Barron Hall for a chance at taking home some delicious baked goods from the annual bake auction. Cakes, pies, cookies and fudge, lined tables as Densil Nibert once again donated his auctioneering skills to encourage bidders to offer great prices.

Nibert has conducted the auction for more than a dozen years and has a way about him that encourages bidders to pay top dollar to please their taste buds.

Prices ran on the upper end this year as several cake and cookie entries sold for hundreds of dollars. A pan of thick, chocolate brownies contributed by baker Jane See, who offers her talents via many items each year, garnered a quick $425 for the fire department.

A cake baked by Debbie Delaney had a battle going that was finally won by high bidder Kara Day who secured the cake for $675. Other items that went a top dollar included a $500 win on a caramel cake and $300 on chocolate chip cookies, both baked by See.

A pecan pie baked by Kayla Welsh in honor of her grandmother, Patt Welsh who passed away earlier this year, drew in $250 while Welsh’s first try at her family’s famed hot milk sponge cake received the highest bid of the evening from Craig “Twiggy” Simpson who paid $1,150 for the treat.

Nelson Chewning and Debbie LeMaster are checked in by cruise-in organizer Aaron Raines at the Friday Festival. Chewning’s ride is a two-door, 1930 Model A Ford. Toni Milbourne

“She made it using my mom’s recipe,” Simpson said, of his Welsh, who is also his niece.

Raines donated a beautiful metal American flag piece created at his Shenandoah Metal Fab business in Shenandoah Junction. The piece sold for $350, helping the collected money for the evening top out at just over $8,100.

Funds raised at the annual festival will add to the general fund of the department, which allows the volunteer company to provide fire and rescue services to the community.