Patrick Dolan, emcee of the awards ceremony at the Corvette Crossroads Show in Mackinaw City, poses Sunday, August 17, at his home in Laingsburg with his daughters, Jennifer (left) and Sarah. Jennifer is standing next to a 2004 Group Five Corvette. Sarah is standing next to a 2008 Group Six Corvette. Both cars are customized. (Photograph by Cynthia Dolan) "It's kind of hard to find someone who doesn't have a love affair with a Corvette," said Patrick Dolan of Laingsburg, whose attention was caught by the sleek vehicles early in the mid-'60s. He got his hands on his first Corvette in 1967.

"And I have owned one ever since," he said.

With five in the garage, two belonging to his daughters, Jennifer and Sarah, driving in style is a family affair, and the Dolans will bring one of their newest cars to the 19th annual Corvette Crossroads Show in Mackinaw City Saturday, August 23, where hundreds of Corvettes will be displayed at 10 a.m. at the parking lot at Mackinaw Crossings Mall.

Working with the Mackinaw Area Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Dolan has been an organizer and emcee for the car show awards ceremony for 17 years.

The show tends to draw 250 to 300 Corvettes, which represent stylistic and mechanical changes over the years. It includes stock, modified, and vintage vehicles, many of which will be driven at 7 p.m. Saturday in the "Corvettes on Parade" cruise through Mackinaw City and across the Mackinac Bridge.

"There are some really pretty ones out there, especially the modified cars," said Kelly Vieau of the chamber, who has been involved with the show for 16 years. "People love driving them across the bridge."

Mr. Dolan provides technical commentary and a personal flourish at the awards ceremony. A member of the National Council of Corvette Clubs, he participates in a local branch called the Royal Corvettes of Western Michigan.

It is one of more than 200 clubs, which have about 19,000 members in the United States. In Michigan, there are about 15 clubs. The goal of Corvette clubs is to celebrate their favorite cars and to have fun driving them together.

Club members like to provide their stylish cars for parades, homecomings, and many caravan together, he said. They conduct races, economy runs, in which drivers compete to get the best gas mileage from one point to another, and fall color tours. They also play driving games, such as road rallies, in which drivers are given clues to find their way to a Corvette club gathering. Upon arrival, drivers are quizzed and scored to see how well they followed the route.

The Mackinaw City show draws Corvette enthusiasts from all over. Plates from Iowa, Ohio, Canada, and the Great Lakes region appear in the lineup.

They come because Mackinaw City is a nice place to go, and the show offers chance to bump elbows with other Corvette enthusiasts, Mr. Dolan said. The car owners are a knowledgeable group of people who like to talk about their cars, he added.

Every year, participants can enter a raffle offered by the club for a new Corvette. The raffle benefits the National Kidney Foundation. The ticket drawn in Mackinaw City automatically wins someone a new set of tires, and then it is entered in the national Corvette contest.

The winner will be drawn in August 2009 at the club's national convention. As director of charity for the national club, the raffle is an important part of the event for Mr. Dolan. Last year, the raffle generated $86,000 for the Kidney Foundation. The national club also provides scholarships.

Not long after the chamber organized the event at Mackinaw City, its members realized it needed someone who knew a lot about Corvettes to help group the cars and run the awards ceremony, which includes categories ranging from 1953 models to 2008 models, and a separate set of awards for modified and full-modified vehicles. Mr. Dolan helps add a flourish to the ceremony by pointing out details of the vehicles.

There are no professional judges; the public votes for their favorite vehicles, and the chamber awards 40 to 45 plaques.

"We may even have a 2009 there," said Ms. Vieau.

The new vehicles get more than 30 miles to the gallon, and they are much smoother. Drivers of the keyless cars can even activate a bit of advanced electronic technology that removes the feeling of bumps from the ride.

The Dolans will be found at the national club's booth at the show, where they will promote their organization and the Kidney Foundation. After that, like many participants, they will stroll the streets of Mackinaw City and visit Mackinac Island, before returning their new Corvette to the garage, where it will rest with their others, ranging from 1963 to 2008 models.

Corvette Crossroads Show

events are as follows:

Friday, August 22: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Registration and packet pick-up at the Chamber of Commerce office.

8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Karaoke Sunset Boat Cruise or Dock Party. Departs from the State Ferry Dock on South Huron Avenue. Tickets are $15. Food is available for an additional charge.

Saturday, August 23:

9 a.m. Registration/Packet Pickup at Mackinaw Crossings Mall parking lot on Mackinaw Crossings Drive.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Corvette Crossroads Auto Show at Mackinaw Crossings Mall Parking Lot. All registered Corvettes on display. People's choice judging.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Poker Walk. Free to all registered Corvette owners and their families. Prizes awarded at 2:15 p.m.

3 p.m. Show Awards Presentation.

6 p.m. Mackinac Bridge Parade Line Up.

7 p.m. Mackinac Bridge Parade. $6 participation charge is included in registration price.

8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Free Live Entertainment featuring Billy Jewell at the Caboose in the Mackinaw Crossings Mall.

10 p.m. Laser Light Show at Mackinaw Crossings Mall.

Award Classes: 1953-1962, 1963-1967, 1968-1973, 1974-1977, 1978-1982, 1984-1990, 1991-1996, 1997-2004, 2005-2008, 1953-1973 Modified , 1974-1982 Modified ,1984-1990 Modified, 1991-1996 Modified ,1997-2004 Modified, 2005-2008 Modified, 1953-2008 Full Modified.