Photos: Petaluma Throws It Back To 'American Graffiti'

PETALUMA, CA — Five hundred American-made cars from 1972 or before lined the streets of downtown Petaluma on Saturday, May 18, for the 17th annual Salute to "American Graffiti."

Thousands of people attended the daylong event featuring a car show that started at 10 a.m. on the same streets featured in the movie, which was filmed June-August 1972 in Petaluma with a few scenes filmed in San Rafael and Modesto. The event also featured food vendors and a live DJ playing music from that era.

The film by George Lucas, a Marin County resident, featured a young cast of actors and actresses who today are either Hollywood stars or "American Graffiti" culture icons: Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Kathleen Quinlan, Suzanne Sommers, Paul Le Mat, Candy Clark and Bo Hopkins.

At the car show, a classic T-Bird drew attention with a Taylor Swift look-a-like blonde mannequin seated on the fender — or maybe it was meant as a tribute to Suzanne Somers, the blonde who drove around in a white Thunderbird in the classic movie. Somers, also well known for one of her other roles in the TV sitcom "Threes Company," died in October 2023 after years of battling breast cancer. We salute you, Suzanne.

At 4 p.m., it was time to start the engines and cruise the Boulevard —as in Petaluma Boulevard and the adjacent downtown streets. See a recap of the event here, and read more fun facts here about the movie being filmed in Petaluma.

Net proceeds from each annual "Salute to American Graffiti" — a non-alcoholic community event for all ages— are invested in the group's community projects, as well as community programs that benefit arts, education, history, safety and welfare.

Enjoy our photo gallery above from this year's event, courtesy of local photographer Al Francis.