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Mick Brooks, far left, and his son Matt Brooks, left center, chat with longtime friends Mark Becker, right center, and Carol Becker, far right, during the drive-in movie event Friday night. The Brooks own a 1946 Studebaker Champion Business Coupe and the Beckers own a 1941 Chevy. The movie was one of the Eddie Cochran Weekend festivities.

Eddie Cochran Weekend: The cars are here

Cars drive in to watch “Hairspray”

Staff

Published Saturday, June 14, 2008

Photo by Brie Cohen

Rachel Holcomb, 6, and Patrick Holcomb, 3, bundle up with a Superman blanket on the hood of a car Friday before “Hairspray” began at the drive-in movie event.

Photo by Brie Cohen

Paul Kline, front right, Gary Jensen, front left, Berna Kline, back left, and Becky Jensen, back right, pull up to the drive-in movie Friday at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds in the Kline’s 1955 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer.

Photo by Brie Cohen

Neal Bergland, right, watches “Hairspray” with his grandson Dustin Lawson in his 1955 Chevy on Friday night. Lawson’s 1949 Chevy Pickup Convertible was parked next to them.

Video

The drive-in movie is a classic aspect of Eddie Cochran Weekend every year in Albert Lea. This year, the movie was "Hairspray." Video shot Friday, June 13, 2008. Watch »

Almost 100 cars pulled into the Freeborn County Fairgrounds Friday night to watch “Hairspray” on the big screen. Moviegoers of all ages pulled up with convertible tops down, sat in beds of pickup trucks or pulled out blankets and pillows to settle in for the show.

“It’s something new to do in Albert Lea,” said Erin Miller of New Richland. “It’s just kind of a different thing to do.”

The drive-in movie Friday was part of the 15th annual Eddie Cochran Weekend, hosted by the Low Bucks Car Club.

Miller and five of her girlfriends set up their makeshift picnic just behind the first row of cars. They brought popcorn, chips, soda and candy to make it like a real movie theater experience.

“I think we should have it more often,” said Kristy Veldman of Hollandale.

Before the drive-in, participants in the weekend were at the cruise-in social at Country Inn & Suites.

Saturday was the 22nd year of the Low Bucks Car Club car show and swap meet at the Fairgrounds. The show averages 200 cars, according to President Kraig Schuhmacher.

However, the largest event of the weekend was the 26-mile cruise, which one year brought 380 cars. It started at the Fairgrounds, drove through the Freeborn County countryside and ended at the North Broadway Avenue parking lot.

A street dance culminated the event with music from Bob and the Beachcombers.

The exact attendance was not known as of press time.

Schuhmacher said few people know the reason behind Eddie Cochran Weekend, besides keeping the memory of the hometown celebrity alive. Part of the aim of the weekend, he said, is to raise money to fund scholarships for area high school graduates.

Each year the Low Bucks Car Club gives a $1,000 scholarship to an Albert Lea student and $500 scholarships to students from Alden-Conger, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva and Glenville-Emmons school districts.

Having the drive-in movie with the weekend full of events is to bring participants back — or expose younger people — to the atmosphere of the drive-in days, Schuhmacher said.

“It’s just a fun, family thing to do,” said Jill Johnson, who brought her husband, Jim, their 8-year-old son, Luke, and his 7-year-old friend Andrew Peterson.

“It’s just a fun time,” Jim said.

Luke said the drive-in movie is a nice time to stay up late and watch a movie. Peterson added it’s nice to spend time with friends and family.

The movie was projected on a 10 feet by 20 feet screen and sound was heard through a low-power FM transmitter allowing people to tune into a particular station in their car radios.

Last year’s drive-in movie was “Grease,” and brought 150 cars.

Coming up Sunday is the celebration of the 130th anniversary of the United Methodist Church, 702 state Highway 69 in Albert Lea. At 10:45 a.m. there will be a rock ’n’ roll worship service followed by lunch, entertainment on the front lawn, a sock hop and outdoor games.

Eddie Cochran was confirmed Methodist in the Albert Lea congregation.

Eddie Cochran Weekend was only two days long this year so it wouldn’t conflict with the Festival of Bands. However, the Festival was canceled before the weekend.

Cochran was born in Albert Lea on Oct. 3, 1938. He received his first guitar when he was 12 and in 1957 had his first smash hit, “Sitting on the Balcony.”

He died in 1960 when the cab taking him to Heathrow Airport crashed.

“It’s just too bad that he couldn’t achieve the fame that was coming his way,” Schuhmacher said, adding he would have been big but maybe not as big as Elvis.

There is a permanent collection of Cochran memorabilia on display at the Freeborn County Historical Museum.

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