SPIRIT LAKE — Labor Day celebrations started a day early in Spirit Lake on Sunday, as the community gathered in The Big Park to enjoy the Labor Day Car Show and check out dozens of local vendors.  

“We’re wanting to make this bigger and better,” said Mary Madrishin from the Spirit Lake Community Coalition. “We have more vendors this year and want to continue to grow every year.”  

The car show featured at least 70 classic cars, with more pulling into the park throughout the morning. While most showed off their hot rods and muscle cars, Danny and Susan Baptista brought in their beautifully restored classic VW Buses and VW Bug.  

“We try to be different. Everyone here has hot rods,” Danny joked. 

Susan described two of their show entries as rescues — one of the Buses was found in a field and was “the color of a root beer float” before it was restored and painted a vibrant tangerine color.  

Even the couple’s two dogs, Levi and Selah, were in on the car show action. “The dogs drive the Bug!” Danny said.  

Despite all the excitement in The Big Park, some noticed that one tradition was missing this year — Spirit Lake’s Labor Day Parade, which has been called the smallest parade in the world, was a no-go.  

“I was kind of bummed there was no parade this year,” said Brynn Hymas. “It was a cute tradition.” 

According to the Spirit Lake Community Coalition, the parade simply got too small to carry on — but that doesn’t mean it’s gone for good. As the community’s Labor Day traditions continue to grow, the parade will eventually make a comeback.  

    Community members admire the beautifully restored interior of this 1941 Packard 110 at Spirit Lake's yearly Labor Day Car Show.
  

    Susan Baptista's "rescue" cars: The vibrant tangerine VW Bus was "the color of a root beer float" when she and her husband first got ahold of it.