In this file photo from 2024, Madison Heights City Councilman Quinn Wright, right, meets with Murray Pfaff, of Pfaff Designs in Royal Oak, to plan the car show Revin’ in the Heights, which this year takes place at Civic Center Plaza Sept. 13. The ride seen here is a 1974 Meyers Manx SR2.
By: Andy Kozlowski | Madison-Park News | Published August 30, 2025
MADISON HEIGHTS — Flashy rides, both vintage and modern, will soon roll into town for the free car show Revin’ in the Heights.
Now in its second year, the show is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 in the parking lot at Madison Heights City Hall, 300 W. 13 Mile Road, near Fire Station No. 1 and the courthouse, next to Lamphere High School and Civic Center Park.
The fire station will hold an open house at the same time, accessible off Palmer Street. While there won’t be facility tours, there will be a fire knockdown demonstration and a fire engine on display, as well as opportunities to meet the firefighters and pose for pictures with them using cardboard cutouts.
Guests can also learn more about Community Connect — a program where they can share information that could help first responders in the event of an emergency, such as the rooms where the kids sleep or whether there are pets in crates.
As for the car show itself, all makes and models are welcome. Vehicle registration is $20 in advance by signing up at events-mhhrec.com. Sponsors can also apply there. Alternatively, participants can register their vehicle for $25 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. the day of the event.
Proceeds support the Madison Heights Human Relations and Equity Commission, a group dedicated to promoting inclusive policies and programming.
Quinn Wright, a member of the City Council who also serves on the HREC and helped develop the car show, said that it honors the spirit of the HREC by bringing together different groups to build neighborly bonds — in this case, over a shared love of cars.
“I think it resonates with people because it gives them the ability to show off a little bit of their experience with the Motor City, their cars telling the story of their childhood or character,” Wright said. “Whether it’s a muscle car or classic car, it speaks to the individual who owns it.”
The HREC is also partnering with the Madison Heights Public Library, at the opposite end of the plaza, to host a traveling exhibit from the Automotive Hall of Fame. Titled “Achievement,” the exhibit honors the contributions of African Americans in the automotive industry.
“I’m excited to have an educational component like this at the show,” Wright said. “I think a lot of what the HREC is tasked with doing is building bridges and finding ways to be culturally inviting to all. So, by sharing this awesome exhibit, I think it helps us do that and be inclusive, including with car culture, which I think really speaks to everyone.”
One recent effort by the HREC was the installation of communication boards at several parks in the city. The boards feature visual elements that nonverbal or less verbal individuals can point to when they need help expressing themselves.
“Those communication boards are there for our neighbors with special needs,” Wright said. “I think it speaks to how the HREC is about more than what people think at times.”
Murray Pfaff, of Pfaff Designs in Royal Oak, designs cars for clients across the country, and in his spare time he enjoys customizing his own rides. Pfaff is helping organize the show by sharing his insight into similar events he has visited across Michigan and other states.
“The thing about having a car show is most everyone grows up with a family car, and of course as we get older, we wax poetic about whatever we had — riding in the backseat on trips, for example. Being able to come out and speak about that and relive some of those memories has a bonding effect, I think,” Pfaff said.
“The neat thing about the car world is there’s inspiration all around us, with so many ways to personalize and customize and modify them. Hidden gems are everywhere,” Pfaff added. “Revin’ is a community event. The fire station has its open house with their vehicles on display. The library is there, and the police are there. We have food trucks, ice cream, music, kids’ games. And of course there are the cars. They’re just a great common thread for any community.”