Inevitable clich�s of “awe-inspiring” and “hypnotic” are not just expected but required at this weekend’s 6th Annual Peachtree Autofest in Athens.

In the belly of the Classic Center, an expected 150 cars will be showcased Sunday to benefit the Athens chapter of the American Cancer Society, the Clute Barrow Nelson Life Foundation and the Loran Smith Center.

“The show started as a local club project by Ralph Verrasto,” said Todd Emily, an avid car enthusiast and the event’s organizer.

Verrasto himself passed away from cancer, and the donations were established to benefit those who live on with the disease.

“It took on volunteers, and it took a life of its own,” Emily said.

Now in its sixth year, the show has blossomed from a local gathering to a regional one, where car enthusiasts from Tennessee to Florida drive into town to showcase everything from beastly hot-rods to classic beauties restored from the 50s, 60s and 70s.

The judging criteria includes examining restoration, originality in updates and aesthetics, all for the prize of acknowledgment.

“My personal interest is in the full-classics,” Emily said, referring to cars from the World War II era, such as Cadillacs, Packards and a stunning 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Convertible Victoria, deemed the event’s “star car.”

“The other thing I like is that people your age, twice your age and half your age all come to share the experience,” Emily said with an enduring sense of pride.