LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Dancing with the Cars and car show feature Mustangs and Cobras


Photo Sora O'Doherty

This year, the theme of the 2024 Orinda Car Show and the fund-raising Dancing with the Cars event feature Mustangs. And no, despite the charming poster for the event, horses will not be present. However, there will be a good representation of Ford Mustang cars, including a number of Cobras from The Cobra Experience in Martinez.

As usual, the dinner dance will be the evening before the car show. The Orinda Classic Car Show weekend will feature Dancing with the Cars on Friday, Sept. 6 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on the Orinda Library Upper Plaza. This is the 20th annual fundraiser party sponsored by Rotary Club of Orinda. Proceeds will benefit seniors, students, food banks, and other community projects sponsored by the Club. Tickets are available at www.orindarotaryfundraiser.com through Aug. 30.

On Saturday, Sept. 7, the 20th Annual car show, in partnership with Orinda Motors and Orinda Classic Car Center, will be showcasing 200 classic cars, and will also feature music, food, and special exhibits. This event is always free to spectators.

Drew Serb, who formerly lived in Orinda for 25 years, will be bringing a contingent of 14 Cobras to the Car Show. Two of the cars belong to Serb. The Cobras were manufactured by Ford, as are Mustangs.

According to The Cobra Experience website "In the 1960's, the Cobra captured the heart and imagination of car racing enthusiasts. Carroll Shelby, the facilitator of the famous Cobra, GT40, Daytona Coupe, GT350, and GT500, amongst others, campaigned cars from 1962 to 1968 at Shelby American in Southern California. These cars remain giants for their contributions to the evolution of the muscle car industry in this country."

As the car show reaches its 20th year, Serb has entered cars about 15 times. Serb saw the opportunity to open a museum, The Cobra Experience, dedicated to the Cobra when he bought a 25,000 square foot building in Martinez. Serb actually owns about half of the 32 cars on display at the museum, which is open to the public the third Sunday of each month and for other special events throughout the year.

All of the owners of the Cobras will attend the car show, because shortly thereafter they will join Serb for a thousand mile drive through California, with stops in Truckee, Castle Crags State Park five miles south of Dunsmuir, and Graeagle in the high Sierras, before returning to the Lafayette Park Hotel. Serb has been leading the Cobra drives for 30 years.