Cars bring people together, and that sense of community is a huge part of the car world. Friendships are made, knowledge is exchanged and passions are shared. Not long after the 50to70 podcast started, there was a growing demand from our listeners to do something more, something that they could be directly involved in. The 50to70 Cars & Coffee was born. These types of events are nothing new, with several taking place each month around Ireland and globally, but it's a unique opportunity for us to meet our listeners and, well, talk even more about cars.
We hosted our first Cars & Coffee event in February this year and, despite the chilly weather, the turnout was phenomenal. People came from across the country to 3FE Sussex Terrace, which has quickly become the home of 50to70. It's where the podcast is usually recorded, and it's a fitting location, having previously been a car dealership called Chris Fleming Motors.
Once upon a time, it was a place that I would often go to look through the window at the various premium and luxury cars that would come into stock, so there's a lovely circularity to the story that the same place is now home to the podcast.
There have been several 50to70 Cars & Coffee meets since then, generally only publicised through the podcast, which means that it's the community of our listeners that gets to know about it first. Of course, it's not an exclusive or private event, as everyone is welcome, regardless of what they drive or ride. Yes, we love motorcycles at 50to70 too. We also love dogs, and each time there's a healthy contingent of our four-legged friends that come along.
Where the 50to70 Cars & Coffee differs from other similar types of events is that we don't occupy a large single car park. Instead, people park in the surrounding streets and along the banks of the canal, get a coffee and then stroll around and take it all in. People come and go at various times, so it's quite a dynamic event, with an immense variety of vehicles passing by.
Even when the weather has been less than ideal, it hasn't dampened enthusiasm or reduced the number of people attending. There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices, right?
People can, of course, take shelter inside, and we always have a healthy stock of classic and vintage car magazines on hand that are free to be enjoyed and taken home. It's our way of giving a little bit back to the fantastic community that has developed and continues to grow around 50to70. See you at the next one?
Pics by Reimo Zoober