VALDOSTA – The Cabin Fever Car Show paid a visit to the downtown historic district this week.

Founded in 1984, the annual Cabin Fever Car Show is organized by a small group from the Volunteer Street Rod Association in Knoxville, Tenn. The show has been held each January, hosting the street rods, antique cars and drag cars in the Southeast region.

Cabin Fever’s annual driving tour specifically showcases Brass Era cars 1914 and older. The cars and drivers hail from all over the country, including Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina and New York.

This tour had 18 participants, with the youngest vehicles being two 1914 Ford Model T’s, Abbott and Rolls Royce. The oldest model was the 1908 Packard, owned by member Don Sommers.

According to Cabin Fever member Gene Menne from Fort Wayne, Indiana, the tour got its name due to most of the members being northbound. Since the city the group goes to is almost always in the warmer Southern region, the tour gives members a chance to escape the cold weather of their homes.

“We’ve been slowing down as of late, but we normally do five to six tours per season. We’re northerners, even though a lot of the club is expanding south. Usually, a member of our group chooses a nice place to escape and to experience something new,” Menne said.

This particular group was hosted by the Valdosta Tourism Authority after a member chose Valdosta and sent a pitch. David DiSalvo, executive director of the Tourism Authority, said the group’s and Valdosta’s shared interest in restoration and “keeping things as they were” made them great guests for the city.

The tour started with a trip to the historic Lowndes County courthouse, where they were greeted by Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson with a welcome speech and a barbecue lunch.

Sommers said the club got an especially warm first impression of the city.

“Every year, we travel to a different city and just tour and show our vehicles. We’re staying at the Fairfield Inn, and everything has been great so far. The barbecue with the mayor was a real nice treat,” he said.

The group followed lunch with a tour of The Crescent. Judy Pinkston, president of The Garden Center Inc., which owns the Crescent, said Crescent representatives couldn’t wait to have Cabin Fever show off their antique cars in the front lawn for all to see.

“We never let cars on the front lawn,” she said. “We don’t want to disturb the grass and elements. But today, we had to make an exception. These cars are so gorgeous and we’re proud to be the ones displaying them. We’re also really happy to have a big group of 40. The bigger tours are always so fun.”

Sommers confirmed the group was planning its next tour cycle in Tallahassee.