Whether you have 1970s Corvette or a flashy new Ferrari, you are going to want to show it off at the next Cars and Coffee on Cattlemen. The event takes place 7:30-10 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month near the Sarasota luxury auto repair shop Elite Motor Works. The get-together typically attracts about 30 to 40 gearheads and their families, who share stories about how they acquired their collectible vehicles while sipping a fresh cup of joe.

Elite Motor Works service manager Gordon Chapman says the shop started the event years ago, but was forced to cancel it for four months last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the months since, attendance has grown, as more and more people are looking for things to do outdoors.

"Car meetups were beginning to be the thing to do, so we wanted something where we could connect," says Chapman. "We knew people would have cars that we are likely to work on here, and it turned out to strengthen our personal connection with people in the area."

Car owners drive their vehicles straight to the shop's parking lot, where they'll pop the hood and open the doors so fellow fanatics can take a peek inside. Elite mostly works on German cars, Corvettes, vintage cars made by companies like Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz, and European cars from the Suncoast British Car Club. Chapman says Sarasota's car community is diverse, but tight-knit.

"Being around cars and others who love cars is just fun," says Chapman. "We don't have too many people that just come as spectators—usually they are all car owners." Everyone however, from kids to adults, is welcome to stop by. Admission and the refreshments are free.

The next Cars and Coffee on Cattlemen event takes place 7:30-10 a.m. Saturday, July 3, at Elite Motor Works, 1749 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota. For more information about the shop and event, call (941) 203-3448 or click here.