We attended FirebirdFest 2024 in St Louis-Missouri: A Journey of Cars, Fun, and Friendship!
My wife and I had the time of our lives at FirebirdFest 2024, held from May 16th through May 19th. This event was nothing short of spectacular!
I-55 Firebirds St Louis, MO
FirebirdFest is the brainchild of I-55 Firebirds, a passionate group of Pontiac Firebird enthusiasts from the St. Louis metro area and all along the I-55 Highway, from Chicago to Louisiana. The club originally started as the “Troy Trans Ams” on Facebook, with the mission of finding as many Trans Ams as possible in their hometown of Troy, Illinois. Rod Haffer, Brandon Handegan, Bill Shadwick, and Todd Koenig spearheaded this initiative. After discovering several Firebirds outside of Troy and realizing many weren’t Trans Ams, they wisely rebranded to I-55 Firebirds.
FirebirdFest 2024 was a paradise for Firebird aficionados. It featured cruising, various activities, events, visits to St. Louis landmarks, Firebird-only car shows, and much more! Here’s the best part: no trophies or snooty judges! The focus was on camaraderie, drooling over beautiful cars, and forming new friendships. FirebirdFest is all about celebrating every Firebird, regardless of its condition. Plus, it’s a major fundraiser for THE SONG SOCIETY, a music therapy program in the St. Louis region that helps young folks cope with life-changing diseases and diagnoses. When you register for FirebirdFest, you’re already contributing to a great cause. Approximately 10% of all registrations going directly to charity. There are also options for silver or gold donations, which enter you into The SONG SOCIETY GIVEAWAY!
4 Days of Fun
Day 1: Poker Run and Scenic Cruise
The festival kicked off with a poker run, starting at Gateway Classic Cars in O’Fallon, Missouri. We made stops at several iconic St. Louis landmarks, including the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and Blueberry Hill in the University City Loop. The run wrapped up at Fast Lane Classic Cars in St. Charles, Missouri.
But wait, there’s more! We then cruised up to Alton, Illinois, took the Alton Ferry, and ended our journey with a delicious dinner at The Loading Dock in Grafton, Illinois.
Day 2: Car Show and Track Fun
Day 2 was packed with excitement! We met at Gateway Classic Cars in O’Fallon, Illinois, for the traditional car show. This year’s special event was the FirebirdFest Feud, which added a fun twist. Later, we proceeded to Worldwide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, where we had the thrill of running our cars around the oval track, which will host a NASCAR event this year. The evening concluded with a nostalgic trip to the drive-in in Belleville, Illinois, showing “Smokey and the Bandit” and “American Graffiti.”
Day 3: Picnic and Live Entertainment
Day 3 began with a lovely picnic at the Anheuser Estate and Museum in Kimmswick, Missouri. Afterward, we headed to Waterloo, Illinois, for the big event. We felt like rock stars as we headed into the town square with people lining the streets to check out our cars! The entertainment lineup was fantastic, featuring Ruby Lee from “The Voice,” Tori Martin from “American Idol,” and an awesome ZZ Top tribute band.
Day 4: Honoring Veterans and Grand Finale
Our final day started with a memorial service at Jefferson Barracks Cemetery, honoring the great veterans of our country. From there, we headed to the Gateway Grizzlies Baseball Park for the grand finale, which included donating the check to The Song Society, our fundraising beneficiary this year.
FirebirdFest 2024 in St Louis-Missouri was an unforgettable experience, filled with incredible cars, wonderful people, and meaningful causes. We can’t wait to rev our engines for next year’s fest!