February 2026.
Oro Valley, Arizona.

Cruise, BBQ & Blues, the annual fundraiser for Art State Arizona, returned this February with its usual mix of chrome, music, and desert sunshine. Just north of Tucson along Oracle Road, what began as a community car gathering has grown into an Arizona winter tradition—part show-and-shine, part blues festival, part neighborhood reunion. This week’s post follows the rhythm of the day: a stroll through the cars first, a pause at the music stage, a quick look at the food wagons, and finally a few standouts that close this post with style.

The Chevrolet Nomad has always stood a little apart from the station wagons that defined mid‑century American family travel. Wagons were the workhorses of the era—built for road trips, grocery runs, and the endless shuttling of kids and cargo. But the Nomad, especially the 1957 model, was something else entirely. With its sweeping roofline, two‑door profile, and Bel Air‑level trim, it blurred the line between practical hauler and stylish cruiser. It’s easy to imagine this one parked by the beach with a couple of surfboards strapped to the roof, but it looks just as right sitting under the Arizona sun. It’s a reminder that even a family wagon can become an icon when designers decide to have a little fun.

The 1947 Chevrolet represents the final chapter of the upright, pre-war silhouette that defined the 1940s. The 1947 and 1948 models were nearly identical, serving as a bridge between the classic era and the integrated, “slab-sided” bodies that would arrive in 1949. While those bolt-on headlight visors add a custom 1950s flair, the high-arched fenders and tall, narrow grille are pure post-war nostalgia. Pinpointing the exact year actually sparked a lively AI vs. AI debate, but once we looked closely at the grille geometry and horizontal chrome accents, there was no denying it was a ’47 classic.

The pickup‑truck section of the show stretched out in an impressive line, a reminder of just how many enthusiasts bring working‑class classics to Cruise, BBQ & Blues. The organizers grouped vehicles loosely by type—Camaros in one stretch, Corvettes in another, rows of pickups like this one—and then sprinkled in the occasional standout, like a vintage Rolls‑Royce or a brand‑new Rivian R2, to keep things interesting. It made wandering the show a lot of fun—just when you thought you knew what was in a row, you’d run into a different slice of automotive history.

There’s always that one mechanic at every show—the unofficial pit‑crew hero who pops a hood and leans in with such singular purpose that he instantly draws a small crowd of nodding experts. In this case, the “hero” was a clever bit of staging by the owner of an unrestored Dodge, a mannequin mechanic whose static intensity was enough to fool anyone from twenty feet away. A few steps away, the pickup‑truck row stretched out like a chrome‑trimmed timeline of American work ethic, each truck polished far beyond anything their original owners would’ve imagined. It was a perfect snapshot of the show: a little humor, a lot of pride, and more stories under those hoods than you could count.

The “Car Show, Not a Petting Zoo” sign propped right on the radiator support made me smile. It’s a friendly but firm reminder that while these engines are on display, they’re not meant to be handled like petting‑zoo goats. With the hood up and the polished V8 gleaming in the sun, the owner clearly wanted people to admire the work—just not leave fingerprints behind. It was one of those perfectly timed bits of car‑show humor that fit the spirit of Cruise, BBQ & Blues.

The annual fundraiser isn’t only about the chrome and steel, as the name Cruise, BBQ & Blues promises. As we paid our admission at the gate, the sound of Garrett James and the Wanderers was already drifting across the grounds. Rooted in vinyl‑era blues and cassette‑era rock, the quartet features Hunter Asplin on bass, Matthew Schvarcz on drums, and Ben Henninger on keyboards and saxophone. The band was in full stride by the time we reached the stage, fresh off a 2025 sweep that included wins at the DUSK, Phoenix, and Oro Valley Battle of the Bands, as well as the top spot in Alice Cooper’s Proof is the Pudding competition.

At the heart of the sound is Garrett James, whose soulful vocals and gritty fretwork on the red Stratocaster set the tone for the afternoon. The group’s 1950s rock-and-blues style felt right at home among the classic lines of the nearby vintage cars—a reminder of the era when American rock and roll was just beginning to find its voice. Watching him lean into a solo, it’s easy to see why this group is quickly becoming a staple of the Tucson music scene.

Throughout the performances, this photographer was dutifully recording the musicians, unfazed by the shifting crowds and the bright Arizona light. As an amateur photographer who spends a lot of time shooting outdoors here, I was in awe of his simple yet ingenious setup—a tripod, a cellphone camera, and a purple umbrella clamped on top to fend off the sun, which can be intense even on a cool February day. It was a reminder that sometimes the best gear isn’t fancy at all; it’s whatever keeps you shooting comfortably in the desert.

Soon, it was time for lunch, and we had plenty of options. The “BBQ” in the festival’s name was far from an afterthought. The grounds were filled with the aroma of hickory and mesquite from the Tucson Foodie BBQ Competition, where more than a dozen pitmasters faced off with everything from purist wood‑fired brisket to creative fusions featuring prickly pear and Korean spices. Amid all that smoke and sizzle, one of the most memorable stops was a vendor who built an entire menu around the “secret 23 spices” of Dr. Pepper. From slow‑glazed ham to a dessert called the Doctor’s Order, even the mashed potatoes carried a hint of the soda’s signature profile. It was a surprisingly good combination, and that unique flavor stayed with me long after we walked back to the stage.

After lunch, we headed back to the stage just as the next act was getting introduced. The duo onstage brought a dose of authentic Chicago blues to the Arizona desert. Harmonica veteran Bob Corritore, long settled in Phoenix and a pillar of the state’s blues scene, reunited here with guitarist and vocalist Jimi “Primetime” Smith, whose roots run deep through Chicago’s musical lineage. The two first crossed paths decades ago in the city’s storied clubs and have since rekindled their partnership across Arizona stages, including regular stops in Tucson. Their easy chemistry and lived‑in blues sound added a rich layer of history to the festival—proof that Cruise, BBQ & Blues draws not just cars and barbecue, but musicians with stories as deep as their grooves.

After a story or two, Chicago blues stylings filled the air. Jimi “Primetime” Smith eased into his set with the kind of relaxed confidence that comes from a lifetime onstage—clean, expressive guitar lines, a voice shaped by decades in Chicago clubs, and a presence that made even a casual festival crowd lean in. His playing carried that unmistakable mix of grit and polish, the sound of someone who grew up surrounded by blues royalty and still plays like he’s honoring every one of them.

As the Chicago blues music filled the air, we wandered back toward the cars. The third featured group, The Xcelerators, scheduled to close the blues portion of the show, brought their own brand of powerhouse blues to the lineup—a tight, high‑energy ensemble known for big vocals, sharp guitar work, and a rhythm section that doesn’t let up. We didn’t have time to catch their performance, but their reputation alone added weight to Art State Arizona’s musical roster.

Our last stop of the afternoon was a true rarity: a 1954 Kaiser Darrin, one of only 435 ever built, and this one marked as car #103. The placard beside the car tells the background of this unique piece of history. Designed by the legendary Dutch Darrin, it was America’s first production fiberglass-bodied sports car, famous for its dramatic sliding doors and elegant, almost sculptural lines. The owners kept nearly everything stock—from the body and interior to the suspension and brightwork—though this example hides a surprise under the hood: a modern Chevy 502 big-block in place of the original Willys F-head six. Quirky engine swap aside, the car has all the charm that made the Darrin a standout in its day—a perfect final highlight before we headed for the exit.

It was time for us to leave, but you don’t have to go without seeing more of these beautiful classic cars. You can see all of these photos in 2K HD, plus several more classics, on my Flickr site here. It’s a deeper look at the chrome, curves, and character that made Cruise, BBQ & Blues such a memorable day. There are no published details for the 2027 show as of this writing, but when the festival returns in 2027 as expected, I’ll be there again with a camera in hand.

About the Photos: The images were captured on either the Samsung S25 Ultra or the Nikon Z7 II, each photographed in its native RAW format and processed in Adobe Lightroom Classic. The bright Arizona sun kept noise to a minimum, leaving most of the work to Adaptive Profile adjustments and basic development tweaks. A couple of distractions were removed using Lightroom’s Generative AI Remove tool, and final refinements were made through subtle shifts to highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks to take full advantage of both cameras’ impressive dynamic range.

On a personal note, today’s entry marks a milestone that managed to sneak up on me. When this post goes live, it will officially be the 2,000th post on the blog. Looking back at all the miles we’ve covered—whether we were exploring a classic car show, stepping back for a history lesson, or finding creative ways to look at the world through a weekly photo challenge—it’s hard to believe the tally has gotten that high. A number like that only matters because of the folks on the other side of the screen, though. Whether you’ve been following along from the early days or just found this space recently, thank you for reading, leaving your comments, and coming along for the ride. See you on the next journey.

John Steiner.