What was originally a way for an Oak Harbor automotive store to thank its customers has turned into something bigger and grander over the years.

Car aficionados from Whidbey Island, several states and British Columbia will venture into Oak Harbor Saturday, Aug. 13, for the 26th annual North Whidbey Rotary Car Show, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor.

Jim Woessner, one of the organizers for the event, said planners years ago only expected 10 to 15 cars and about a 100 people to stop by the Oak Harbor Auto Center.

“We wanted to give our customers a place to show off their cars,” Woessner said. Despite modest expectations, 40 cars showed up and hundreds of people stopped by.

Since then, the car show has grown steadily, moving to such locations as the field where The Home Depot was built, Flintstone Park and finally to its current spacious home at Windjammer Park.

Car Show organizers are expecting approximately 300 vehicles to come into Oak Harbor this weekend. Organizer Steven Glade said he is expecting more registration forms since the weather Saturday is expected to be warm and sunny.

The Rotary Club of Oak Harbor took over the show from the North Whidbey Lions Club three years ago. Glade said the show is a great way to attract people from across the Pacific Northwest to Oak Harbor.

The event has been publicized on local radio shows and in car enthusiast magazines.

Admission to the car show is free. Glade said people can park at Frontier Automotive Services, which is the former Chevrolet dealership, on Pioneer Way. He added he is trying to find Boy Scouts to help coordinate the parking.

More than 70 trophies will be available to participants in the upcoming car show. Participants will be judged in such categories as stock cars, altered cars, custom cars, muscle cars, low riders and best in show. Other categories include motorcycles, trucks, altered trucks, imports and four-by-fours.

Even though the event is free to the public, the event does raise money through registration fees. Once costs are paid, proceeds will go to fund Rotary programs and scholarships for students at Oak Harbor High School.

There will be food available and fun things for kids to do, including playing on the beach at Windjammer Park. The car show is always a family affair.