LAKELAND, Ga. — Vintage and classic cars rolled through Georgia’s city of murals Saturday for the 13th Annual Milltown Motorcade. 

John Fitton, assistant director for the Lanier/Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, said the town was named Lakeland in 1925, after previously being known as Milltown. 

The Saturday motorcade began in Downtown Lakeland and finished in Roquemore Park, which is privately owned by Lets Improve Lanier’s Appearance, a group that sponsors the event. 

Fitton said the car show lets the community come together and enjoy the park, and it provides the opportunity to be introduced to unusual cars that one might not otherwise see. 

Fitton said the car show started in conjunction with the living murals event, where the murals painted on downtown buildings would come to life. The murals depict real former residents of Lakeland. During the living murals event, actors in historical dress – often descendants of the people portrayed in the murals – tell the history behind the people and scenes depicted. 

However, Fitton said the living murals are no longer a part of Milltown Motorcade, as each mural now has a QR code that can be scanned and individuals can learn the history that way. 

There were two awards presented to Milltown Motorcade participants, Visitor’s Choice and Nell’s Choice. 

Nell’s Choice was named after Nell Roquemore, 94, of LILA, and was awarded to her favorite car. The 2018 Nell’s Choice went to Dub Music’s 1940 Packard Hearse. 

The motorcade served as the 1940 hearse’s public debut. 

“Today is the first day that we’ve actually drove it,” Music said. 

He said he had the hearse for about eight to nine months, but it had been undergoing repairs. Music said the hearse can be used for funerals for clients of Music Funeral Services, which has locations in Lakeland and Valdosta. 

The Visitor’s Choice Award went to Joseph Johnson of Ware County for his 1931 Model A Ford Phaeton. 

“I have been interested in antique cars since I was a very small boy,” Johnson said. 

He said he has had the Model A Ford for a couple of years and more recently had replaced the engine himself. 

“I do my own mechanical work on my cars,” he said. 

Kimberly Cannon is a Reporter with The Valdosta Daily Times. Her extension is 1376.