BILLINGS — More than 100 car enthusiasts across Billings gathered near Rimrock Mall to celebrate a shared passion for vehicles and challenge stereotypes surrounding the local car scene in a family-friendly car club meetup.
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From rare Volkswagens to classic Mustangs, vehicles of all makes and models were proudly displayed by several local car clubs and individuals for Billings Cars and Coffee. The event is designed to be welcoming and inclusive, complete with free donuts and a zero tolerance for reckless behavior.
“People coming together as a community, showing off their builds, their hard work, (for) some of us, our financial mistakes and stuff 'cuz none of this is cheap," joked Chad Brown, an attendee.
The bi-weekly meetup was founded several years ago by a small group of local car lovers, including lead organizer Shawn Walker.
“I've seen it grow from eight people to 150 people, and honestly, I can't be more happier with the turnout,” said Walker. “We just all just love cars, so we're all out here to hang out and talk about it.”
According to attendees, the beauty of these events goes beyond what is under the hood.
“There's a lot of repetition of cars, but they're all built differently, and they all have different backstories and everything,” said attendee Riley Peterson.
“People are just nicer, people are more talkative, and it's welcoming," added Stormy Mikkelsen.
Attendees often swap mechanical tips, share project updates, or just chat about their latest engine or body modifications. It has also turned into a space to keep learning about their shared hobbies.
“Usually, when you pop your hood open, it kind of shows people everything you've been doing and gives away all your secrets, maybe," said attendee Josh Thill. “It really is a great hobby. You're always learning something and even if it's what not to do.”
For Thill and his wife, Mac, the community is more than a hobby, but how they met. The couple connected online several years ago through a mutual love of rare Volkswagen models, eventually meeting in person when Mac, originally from Canada, was traveling to a car event in North Carolina. They married in 2024.
"Changed our lives," said Mac. "It was through Instagram and posting photos of my car that Josh and I met, actually online. He was one of my very first followers."
Now the two regularly attend Billings events, proudly bringing their collection of rare Spektrum Volkswagens, which are vehicles painted in limited-edition, factory-custom colors, and often draws attention from many. Mac's car is a one-of-one Raspberry Red color, and their unique collection has grown by three since meeting.
“Honestly, this meet is really cool because it's not necessarily just by brand. You can see a lot of different types of vehicles here, and that's really cool to see," said Josh.
Despite the club's positive efforts, recent violence at an unofficial meetup has cast a shadow over the community.
On Friday, May 9, more than 100 vehicles gathered at Town Pump gas station on King Avenue when, just before 11 p.m., a fight broke out and shots were fired. Though no one was injured, the Billings Police said the incident left behind bullet holes in a car and damage to a gas pump. It also raised concerns about safety at car events.
Related: Violence from car meetup in Billings prompts safety concerns and police crackdown
According to Sgt. Jeff Stovall, Friday’s shooting was not tied to any registered car club.
“A lot of times, one of the misconceptions is it's car club meetups, which it's not. A lot of the car clubs in Billings abide by the law," said Stovall. "Whereas these kids want to get into racing and doing that stuff that they see on TV or the movies, and they want to look cool."
Walker and club attendees agreed and said the chaos does not reflect what the local car community is truly about.
"It does put a real bad reputation on the real car enthusiasts who really want to be outside and hang out, enjoy the night air,” said Walker. “It's getting to a point where there's a lot of underage drinking involved, and that leads and spills into gun violence and stuff like that that we don't really need out in our scene.”
For many regular contributors of Cars and Coffee, the difference between an official club and an unofficial gathering is obvious.
“Everyone's more mature and they understand the risk of everything, and they respect the area,” said Peterson.
“Car meets can get out of hand sometimes, and that is just not what this community is about," added Mac. "Where you find that is when you show up when there's family, when it's not about competition, it's about community."
That sense of community, connection, and creativity is what has kept people coming back, and what they hope will help reshape public perception.
“The car community is very much alive here," added Brown. "I hope that people look at this and the positivity it brings to the community."
