RadWood SoCal
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. Some roll their eyes at it, others shun it. But they’re fools, because I embrace it. Without it, there would be no RadWood. And without RadWood, there would be no reason to come from miles around to meet other people who are as obsessed with a specific aesthetic as I am. Welcome to RadWood.
A car show that’s an excuse for cosplaying like you’re in a time warp somewhere between the 1980s and 1990s (the so-called ‘Rad Era’), RadWood is a nationwide phenomenon that brings together people to enjoy the cars and culture that made the period cool. The traveling show has gained enough attention in the car culture industry to warrant a multi-million dollar acquisition by automotive juggernaught, Hagerty.
At RadWood, there is an entire award ceremony that takes place toward the end of the show. Prizes are given out not just for the cars, but for those who best embody the rad era through clothing and accessories. People show up representing the customer personas who would have bought and driven these cars in their release years, often dialed up to exaggerate stereotypes.
RadWood isn’t just about cars. it’s about the culture and technology surrounding them. There’s an entire cottage industry of small businesses that show up catering to those who want to live and breathe the spirit of the rad era.
The SoCal edition of RadWood is a special one, because it instantly taps into the surf, skate, ski and bike culture that was so prominent in L.A. during the 80s and 90s. It’s common to see BMX riders or skateboarders show up to perform stunts for the crowds. It harkens back to the everyday car shows that took place in the actual era, and it keeps the dream alive for young people who may have never been there to experience it.
RadWood attracts folks from across the spectrum. There are people who come to relive their youth, and others who weren’t too young or not even born at the time and want to see what it was like. The common thread is they all want to have fun. I’ve been to a lot of different car shows, and RadWood is by far the most fun. Everyone you see there has a big smile on their face, and probably a big pair of neon colored sunglasses.
Now that RadWood is under deep-pocketed ownership, the party is only going to get bigger. What started on the lawns of the Honda corporate campus in Torrance is already moving up to bigger and better spaces. I feel like it’s going to spill over into avenues that have nothing to do with cars, I imagine there being a RadWood just for BMX bikes, a RadWood just for gaming. I can’t wait to see how the event grows, and how the magic that was the Rad Era gets rekindled with the generations who weren’t around to live it.
