From Shorts and a Tank Top to a Little Black Dress: One Car Show, One Wedding, and a Whole Lot of Memories

Have you ever looked at your calendar and thought, “Well, how the hell am I going to pull this one off?”

Because that was me on September 5, 2026.

Two very important events.

One very full day.

And absolutely no room for things to go sideways.

On one hand, I had the 5th Annual Dirty Word Customz Car Show, happening during the Oak Lake Harvest Festival.

On the other hand, I had a wedding I needed to be at for 4:00 p.m.

And somewhere in the middle of those two things, I needed to figure out how to run a successful car show, get myself ready, and somehow make it all happen.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that sometimes you just have to make a plan, trust yourself, and go for it.

And that’s exactly what I did.

Five Years of Cars, Community, and a Whole Lot of Work

For five years, I’ve been part of putting on the Dirty Word Customz Car Show alongside my dad.

And if you’ve ever organized an event, you know it’s never as simple as showing up on the day and hoping everything falls into place.

There’s planning.

Organizing.

Advertising.

Answering questions.

Making sure everyone knows where they need to be.

And about a hundred little things that nobody thinks about until something goes wrong.

But there’s something about event day that makes all that work worth it.

Watching the vehicles start rolling in.

Seeing familiar faces return year after year.

Meeting new people.

Hearing the engines, seeing the incredible work people put into their vehicles, and watching everyone come together for something they genuinely enjoy.

That’s what makes it special.

And this year?

We had almost 80 vehicles show up!

Nearly 80 vehicles, each with its own story, its own owner, and its own reason for being there.

To see that kind of turnout for our fifth annual show was incredible.

Five years ago, we were building something.

Now, we’re watching it become a tradition.

And I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that feeling.

September 5: Let the Chaos Begin!

I arrived at the grounds around 9:00 a.m.

And just like every other car show, I was ready to get to work.

Shorts.

Tank top.

Comfortable shoes.

Ready to run around, answer questions, keep things organized, and make sure the day went the way it was supposed to.

Nothing fancy.

Because when you’re running an event, looking cute isn’t exactly at the top of the priority list.

Getting things done is.

But this particular Saturday had a little twist.

I also had a wedding to attend at 4:00 p.m.

Yes. You read that right.

A car show and a wedding.

On the same day.

And not just attending the car show.

RUNNING IT.

So there I was, trying to keep everything moving while constantly keeping an eye on the time.

Making sure things were ready.

Making sure the show was running smoothly.

Making sure the awards would happen.

And somewhere in the back of my mind, thinking about the fact that I still had to turn myself from car show Taylor into wedding guest Taylor.

It took planning.

It took organization.

And it definitely took some creative time management.

But that’s the thing about events.

You can plan every little detail, but once the day starts, you’ve got to be ready to adjust, make decisions, and keep things moving.

And sometimes you have to do all of that while knowing you’ve got somewhere else to be!

And Then Came the Little Black Dress.

Now, this might have been my favourite part of the entire day.

For five years, people have seen me at these car shows.

Usually in shorts and a tank top.

Running around the grounds.

Helping people.

Organizing things.

Making announcements.

Working alongside my dad.

That’s the version of me everyone knows at the car show.

But this year, when it came time for Best in Show and the awards, things looked a little different.

Because somewhere between running the event and getting ready for the wedding, I managed to pull off an outfit change.

And when it was time to wrap things up…

Out I walked in a cute, fitted little black mini dress.

Hair done.

Ready for the wedding.

And still very much in car show mode.

I walked up, grabbed the microphone, and the reactions started.

People were shocked.

There were looks.

There were comments.

And a whole lot of “WOW!”

I had to laugh.

Because these were people who had seen me for five years running around in shorts and a tank top.

And suddenly, here I was, standing in front of everyone in a little black dress, ready to hand out awards.

Same Taylor.

Same microphone.

Same job.

Just a slightly different outfit!

And honestly?

It was one of those moments I’ll probably laugh about for years.

Because sometimes you really can go from running a car show to being wedding-ready without missing a beat.

Or at least you can make it look that way!

But Here’s the Part That Means the Most to Me.

As funny as the outfit change was, and as proud as I am that we pulled off another successful show, that’s not the part of September 5 that will stay with me the longest.

It’s the fact that I finished that car show the same way I’ve finished the others.

Standing side by side with my dad.

And I don’t think people always realize how much that means to me.

When I first started helping with events and marketing years ago, I was doing it because I wanted to help family.

I wasn’t thinking about building my own marketing business.

I wasn’t thinking about where it might take me.

I was just helping.

Learning.

Figuring things out.

Doing whatever needed to be done.

And somewhere along the way, that turned into experience.

That experience turned into confidence.

And eventually, it helped lead me to building Red Flare Media.

But even now, with my own business, a full-time job, my boys, and everything else life has going on…

There’s still something special about getting to work alongside my dad.

We both know how much goes into these events.

We know the planning, the work, the stress, and the little things that have to come together.

And we also get to share that moment at the end.

When the awards are handed out.

When the last announcements are made.

When you can finally look around and realize…

We did it.

Another one in the books.

Another year of memories.

Another car show we got to do together.

One Day, There Will Be a Last Car Show.

And that’s the part that gets me a little emotional.

Because I know these things don’t last forever.

I don’t know how many more years we’ll keep doing the car show.

Maybe we’ll have many more.

I certainly hope we do.

But eventually, whether life gets too busy, things change, or we simply reach a point where we can’t do it anymore, there will be a last one.

A final event.

A final set of awards.

A final time grabbing that microphone.

And a final time standing beside my dad at the end of the show.

And when I think about that, it makes every single one we’ve done feel a little more important.

Because it’s not really about how many vehicles show up.

It’s not about how many people attend.

It’s not even about how smoothly everything runs.

Those things matter, of course.

But years from now, I don’t think I’ll remember every little detail of every event.

I’ll remember that I got to do them with my dad.

I’ll remember the work.

The laughs.

The stressful moments.

The excitement when everything came together.

And the feeling of standing beside him when another show was finished.

That’s something no amount of money or business success can replace.

So, What Does This Have to Do With Red Flare Media?

Actually, quite a bit.

People see Red Flare Media as a digital marketing business.

Social media management.

Content creation.

Branding.

Helping businesses grow.

And yes, that’s what I do.

But there’s a whole lot more behind how I got here.

Before Red Flare Media officially became a business, there were years of learning through real experiences.

Working behind the scenes.

Helping organize events.

Promoting businesses.

Dealing with unexpected situations.

Learning how to talk to people, solve problems, and keep things moving when the pressure was on.

And I still use those lessons today.

Because marketing isn’t always about sitting behind a computer creating something.

Sometimes it’s about being there.

Understanding the people.

Seeing the work that goes into making something successful.

And knowing that behind every business, event, and organization are real people who care about what they’re building.

The Dirty Word Customz Car Show is a perfect example of that.

It’s not just a bunch of vehicles parked in a field.

It’s people sharing something they love.

It’s community.

It’s family.

It’s memories.

And it’s five years of work that I’m incredibly proud to have been part of.

To Everyone Who Made Year Five Possible…

Thank you.

To everyone who brought a vehicle, whether it was your first time attending or you’ve supported us year after year.

To the spectators who came out to look around, visit, and enjoy the day.

To the volunteers, organizers, sponsors, and everyone who helped make the Oak Lake Harvest Festival and car show happen.

Thank you for being part of another incredible year.

Almost 80 vehicles.

Five years.

One very busy Saturday.

And one little black dress that apparently nobody saw coming!

But most importantly…

One more car show I got to finish standing beside my dad.

And that means more to me than I can put into words.

Until the Next One…

September 5 was a reminder that life can be busy, schedules can be ridiculous, and sometimes you’re going to have to figure out how to be in two places in one day.

But it’s also a reminder to appreciate the moments you’re living while you’re living them.

Because one day, the events will end.

The schedules will slow down.

And the things that once felt so hectic will become the memories you wish you could go back and experience one more time.

So yes, I made it to the awards in a little black dress.

Yes, I had a wedding to get to.

And yes, somehow, we pulled off another great car show.

But when I look back at that day, the dress won’t be the first thing I remember.

It’ll be me, standing beside my dad, finishing another car show together.

And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Here’s to five years of Dirty Word Customz Car Shows.

Here’s to the memories we’ve made.

And hopefully, here’s to many more.

🔥 Because some of the best things I’ve ever helped build weren’t built behind a screen. They were built standing beside my dad.

— Taylor

Owner | Red Flare Media

Behind the screen. Behind the scenes. And always bringing a little flare. 🔥