TREMONTON – The Mugs and Banana Drag Night is a car show of sorts in Tremonton. It’s a throwback to the ‘60’s and 70’s when people could be found dragging Main Street on every night in the summer.
The cars and drivers begin driving up and down Main Steet from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday June 22.
“It’s a car show but not a traditional car show there is no parade,” said seventy-year-old Bruce Jeppsen who organized the free event. “We drag main, listen to ‘60’d music, and have a good time.
The cars and drivers meet at Bear River High School from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Then they move in to position at Main St. and roll up and down the street.
Jeppsen works as a UPS driver. This is the 13 year, and it continues to draw some of the best restored and supped up vehicles in the area.
“I started doing this for my 40th high school reunion,” Jeppsen said. “I had such a good time I just kept it going.”
Once a year the guys can feel almost like they did in the old days.
“We can never get back to the way it was, but it’s a fun night anyway and we get together and be kids again,” Jeppsen said. “We have people come as far away as St. George to drag Main with us.
Most years they have 100 to 150 cars participating, but they have had as many as 200 cars.
“I don’t think you can pull this kind of a thing off in a bigger city,” he said. “It has to be done in a smaller town like Tremonton. I think the local law enforcement and mayor kind of likes what we are doing.”
He said they expect drivers to mind their manners and if they do something stupid and get a ticket it is on them
“We do have a designated safe place where those who want to can do burn outs can,” Jeppsen said. “They need to sign up in advance for that.”
It’s a nonprofit and it has kind of an American Graffiti feel to it he said. He has a few T-shirts on hand to sell
“I just let people come, I don’t charge,” he said. “I guess one day we could use it as a benefit to help someone.
There are usually about 2,500 people lining the streets to watch the classic hotrods roll down the street.
“We have family’s with young kids and older people stand along there and watch it,” Jeppsen said. “My 99-year-old mother is out helping with it running up and down the street help me.”
The band they got to play at the event is the Kap Brothers from Ogden. They formed in the ‘80’s and have become one of Northern Utah’s most popular bands. They specialize in performing ‘60’s and ‘70’s Rock and Roll music. The band will be playing on Main Street.