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The Stray Kat 500 in Dewey normally takes place during the first week of May, but City Manager Kevin Trease said the car show is postponed because of the coronavirus.

Time was needed to contact participants in the event. People normally come to Dewey for the car show from Chicago, Texas, and other parts of the United States. Postponing the event during this global pandemic makes sense because it is just another step taken to stop the possible spread of the coronavirus.

The idea is to stop the virus from coming into Dewey and Oklahoma from out-of-state. Trease said there have been talks with the folks at Stray Kat Kustoms about the car show and the possibility of having a one-day event if the COVID-19 pandemic were to be lifted in time. He said there is still high hopes for a show with 200 to 300 local cars on site, but for now, it looks like the Stray Kat 500 may be posted to September 2020.

Normally 500 to 600 unique, custom cars come to the City of Dewey for the Stray Kat 500 every year. Trease said if you come to the event once, you will want to come back again. He said Dewey is proud of this event.

And it is not official, but Dewey City Manager Kevin Trease Western Heritage Days may be canceled this year. He said this is another big event that has a major impact on downtown Dewey.

From what is understood, the event have been canceled, which Trease finds sad. He said he believes the coronavirus pandemic is hindering the planning of the event.

It takes months to plan Western Heritage Days in Dewey. A committee would already be getting together to get the event organized, but given the current predicament with COVID-19, it is not a good idea to get together and plan an event at this time.

The need to cancel the event is understood. Trease said it will be sad not seeing the longhorns marching down Don Tyler Avenue in the city, but there will always be next year. He said we will have to wait and see.