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Golden Gate Bridge Celebrates 75 Years with Artcars

2012-05-30

Reported By Tré Taylor

There are great events in the San Francisco all year round and this last weekend was one of the most special. May 27th marked the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. Few American landmarks are as recognized, photographed and beloved as the Golden Gate Bridge, and this was one celebrated with a full slate of free performances, festivals and an over the top kick-ass fireworks display.


Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The other coolest part was three local artcar artists had the great honor of sharing in the celebration with our artcars. Three artcars were chosen to participate in the “Road trip through history” exhibit featuring vintage cars and motorcycles from 1937 to the present. Placed in the late 1990’s were ARTCARS, Emily Duffy’s, “VainVan”, Bob Castaneda & Joy Allyn Davis’s, “Radio Flyer ArtCar Wagon” and me, Tré Taylor, with my newly up-graded version of “Squirly Whirly 3.0”- a 1989 Pontiac Squirrel-evlle. There were over 50 cars in the exhibit arranged by year, starting in 1937, the year the bridge was constructed, to current day.


Photo by Tré Taylor

As you strolled up the long walkway and oohing and aahing over beautiful restored classic cars in mint condition with their proud owners standing by dressed in period fashion to match their cars, you would approach the more current time-line of not so interesting current model cars from the 1980’s, and 1990’s then you would see something completely different. Current Day ARTCARS! - Always a fun and zany show stopper. Certainly worth the long walk to the far end of Crissy Field. Thousands of people flocked around to check out our cool fun rides. It was a gas!

Emily Duffy and I posing with colorful lady Becky Kaitz

Photo by Emily Duffy

The Golden Gate Bridge has been very important to my family and holds a special place in my heart. My father, Robert Gregonis, was a construction painter on the Golden Gate Bridge for 29 years until his retirement in 1986. When I was a little kid, I would give him notes I had stuffed into bottles with my contact information and have him throw them in the bay.

A hard working New Jersey boy by day and a fine oil painting artist by night, he shows his “Still Life” paintings in Mendocino county where he now resides current day. My father has a knack for blending his own colors, and each time he mixes that color he is fondly reminded of his successful career; that put food on the table for his family and a roof over their heads for 29 years.

Paint, art and big wonderful projects also run in my blood. I overhauled my art car feverishly over the past 3 weeks. In fact, I still have paint in my hair. The rewards for me are immense, driving my artcar every day and getting to share the fun with innocent bystanders. It can be an eye opening shock to the system. When all the pinwheels get turning on the freeway, it is glorious. This is Squirly Whirly’s 4th incar-nation, she sure is “Purdy”.

Click here To read more about Tré's Squirly Whirly artcar.

Overall, it was a fantastic celebration! Visiting the world famous Golden Gate Bridge is a unique experience for everyone. Whether you drive, walk, bike, shop, or just want to look, there is something for everyone. They even have a virtual Bridge Walk for those of you that are unable to come to the Bridge, I hope to create a Virtual Artcar Bridge Ride for those who feel the need to cross the bridge in style from inside a fun artcar drivers experience!

In more general bridge news here is an article about the fireworks display.

Check out this video of the amazing fireworks:


Slideshow of Images from Emily Duffy

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