New digs and a trek west down the I-10 did not serve as a detour for Inland car buffs.

Many of them signed up to participate and attend the three-day Route 66 Crusin’ Reunion this weekend on Ontario’s historic Euclid Avenue, embracing a fairly new car festival that was born out of the struggles of San Bernardino’s long-held event.

Highland resident Eric Goodman, who brought the brown and black 1970 Volkswagen bug he transformed into an old school hot rod, said it was his first time attending Ontario’s festival. He had participated in San Bernardino’s Rendezvous for several years with his Corvette.

“It has grass, trees and shade,” he said of Ontario’s event. “I like the location better. It was well organized when I went to register.”

Grappling with bankruptcy, San Bernardino officials last year canceled its long-running Route 66 Rendezvous, later opting to go with a smaller, one-day car show. The cancelation of one of the city’s signature events made it possible for Ontario to create a similar three-day festival.

San Bernardino planned a return of its scaled-back Rendezvous this weekend but opted to move it to the second weekend in October as not to compete with Ontario.

Goodman said he plans to attend San Bernardino’s show as well. He said the best part of participating in car shows is the interaction with those who attend.

“I like the car,” he said, “but I really like talking to the people.”

Highland resident Mike Anderson attended the Ontario event last year as well. Seated next to his rust-colored 1972 GTO, Anderson said for most attendees, a car show is a car show whether it’s in Ontario or San Bernardino, but having a major event such as Route 66 Rendezvous in his backyard meant something to him personally.

“It’s that pride of it being in San Bernardino that makes it for me,” he said. “To have it in my hometown of San Bernardino and everybody is coming to my hometown, it’s that pride.”

Anderson said he attended the San Bernardino festival for years and plans to support the rebooted event next month as well, adding that with Ontario now hosting one, too, he and other car lovers get two local car shows.

Riverside resident Mark Guizlo said he enjoyed Ontario’s event more just because it is not as large as San Bernardino’s became.

The crowd at San Bernardino’s festival had swelled so large that there was no way attendees could see all of the cars, he added.

“Route 66 (Rendezvous) was a lot more crowded because it was well established,” he said. “At the end, I left because people didn’t respect the cars.”

During Saturday’s event, thousands of people cruised on foot to blaring rock-n-roll and blues music past the display of vintage Camaros, Mustangs and Impalas that lined the downtown streets.

The more offbeat displays included one car that was tilted to the side with the doll Chucky from the horror films of the same name at the wheel. The bride of Chucky held court in a toy car just outside. A vintage 1970 Los Angeles ambulance was parked with its rear door open, a female dummy lying on one of the seats in the back for transport to the hospital.

San Bernardino resident Freddie Vallalpando sat next to his 1973 Chevy Nova, watching the other cars go by. The retired meat cutter said now that he doesn’t work, he enjoys tinkering with his eight cars. A long-time participant in the San Bernardino festival, he said there is something that sold him on Ontario.

“I really like it better than San Bernardino,” he said. “It seems like there is a cooler breeze here.”

Contact the writer: melaniecj@yahoo.com