Callahan Auto Parts in Sandusky does not exist, never has, and the movie "Tommy Boy" was not filmed there, either. But is that going to stop Sandusky from hosting a Tommy Boy Festival?
In Sandusky, they don't take no for an answer. Tommy Boy Fest is on, August 7-9.
The Northwest Ohio city was the setting, though not the location, for the 1995 film starring Chris Farley as Tom "Tommy Boy" Callahan III, trying to save his father's auto parts company with the help of snide sidekick David Spade.
Jason Werling, Sandusky's recreation superintendent, said the city has been trying to hold a celebration of the film for years. A 25th anniversary festival was scheduled, then scuttled due to COVID. Now, they鈥檝e planned , including a classic car show.
鈥淧eter Segal, who directed 鈥楾ommy Boy鈥欌�� acquired one of the original vehicles from the movie,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t wasn't in that great of shape over the years, but now it's restored. It's a beautiful vehicle: a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere II GTX convertible. He鈥檚 being gracious enough to bring it out here to Sandusky.鈥�
The film will run on a giant screen at Jackson Street Pier, and Segal will participate in Q&A sessions after some screenings.
The vehicle will be part of a classic car show that鈥檚 slated to include some movie-related cars, such as the Blues Brothers鈥� Bluesmobile. Other events include a concert by the Menus, a 鈥淭ommy Want Wingy Throwdown,鈥� character look-alike contests and even a 鈥渟ights not seen in the movie鈥� scavenger hunt. Werling said they plan to have some fun with the fact that 鈥淭ommy Boy鈥� was only set in Sandusky, but shot in Toronto and Los Angeles.
鈥淚f you watch the film as many times as I probably have鈥� you notice some of the Canadian accents that come across,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey did pretty well with capturing what Sandusky was like in the movie, other than there's an international airport at the beginning.鈥�
Werling has spotted a Cedar Point mug in the film, as well as copies of the Sandusky Register and Norwalk Reflector newspapers.
"The big thing that people notice is that the police car in the movie looks exactly like the mid-'90s police cars of Sandusky," he said.
Tommy Boy Fest also coincides with Small City Taphouse鈥檚 annual CLAG Brewing festival, with both events happening simultaneously Downtown.
