Sausalito has Bridgeway, Carmel has Ocean Avenue, San Francisco has the Yerba Buena Arts Center, and Fremont has Niles Boulevard in its historic Niles District.
Fremont, located in the East Bay of San Francisco, California with a population of 212,000, is not usually known as an art destination, but their historic Niles District has a budding artist colony. The tight community also offers an antique fair and a classic car show every August.
Classic Car Shows in Niles
Early Fords, Chevy's, Plymouths, Corvettes, Mustangs, Camaros and polished trucks were among the 300+ cars showcased along Niles Boulevard in August 2010. Hoods were opened to display the components and pristine engines inside. One gentleman was quite taken with a customized 1940 Willys. "The silver and black paint job is really beautiful," he remarked. He also nodded his approval at a shiny '67 Vette.
Sponsored by the Niles Merchants Association and organized by Marie Dear, the 2010 Hot August Car Show was a great success. Huge crowds strolled down Niles Boulevard, admiring the automobiles, taking photos with their cameras, setting up chairs and just enjoying the technological camaraderie. The weather was perfect, with fog blanketing Niles in the morning and clearing up for the afternoon, sparing car buffs from a scorching heat.
Niles Boulevard was cordoned off for several blocks to allow space for the cars and pedestrians from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Vendors hawked their wares in booths, raffle tickets were sold, and the shops opened their doors early for business. With the train station as a backdrop, a band played oldies music in the new Niles Plaza.
Niles, California
Despite its location in Fremont and the greater metropolitan San Francisco Bay Area, Niles has a small town community feel. It was once its own city, and even today has its own library, fire station, town plaza, post office and grocery store, all within walking distance. The business district consists of four blocks and their adjoining side streets, filled with restaurants, specialty shops and salons.
Artistic Niles was built when people traveled by horse and buggy, and later became a stop along the route of the transcontinental railroad. It has often been compared to the iconic Mayberry RFD. The citizens feel passionate about their city within a city, and have a high level of community involvement and volunteerism.
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