On Saturday, thousands of people turned out for Seymour’s most social traffic-jam — Scoop the Loop.

Now in its sixth year, Scoop the Loop is a local tradition that might seem a little weird to outsiders. But to those who remember, it’s a time-honored tradition that started in the 1960s, when teens would cruise around downtown in their hot rods, showing off and socializing.

“Back when I was a kid, we would come down here Fridays and Saturdays and ride around on a set path through town, just like we’re doing tonight and talk,” said Larry McDonald, who helps organize the annual revival of Scoop the Loop.

Tracy Marcott, of Seymour remembers scooping the loop when she was a teenager. The pastime died out in the mid-1990s before being resurrected six years ago as a once-a-year event.

“We would all get in vehicles and take laps around downtown,” she said. “For me, it’s about seeing people, some who I haven’t seen in years until now, since I just moved back.”

Pam Weddle and her husband, Don, of Newburgh, were sitting next to their 1991 RS Camaro on Saturday night. Scooping the loop is how the couple met.

“It’s great, we met through happenstance scooping the loop in Seymour when we were younger,” Pam Weddle said. “It’s a lot like a smalltown version of the movie ‘American Graffiti.’”

“It’s a lot of fun, a lot of camaraderie, and a lot of great people getting together to watch and talk about cars,” Don Weddle added.

Besides socializing, the event offered live music from local musicians Molly Hayes, Sean Hildreth and Jordan Richart and The TOG Band.

“This event is about getting people to come downtown, support our local businesses and merchants and have a good time and socialize,” said McDonald, a member of The TOG Band. “I want to help raise awareness for Seymour’s downtown and this is just a great way to do it.”

Many of the downtown businesses offered Scoop the Loop deals or specials and commemorative Scoop the Loop T-shirts were available at This Old Guitar Music Store.

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 108 sold root beer and Big Red floats by walk-up or drive-thru to benefit the Cops and Kids program. Cops and Kids provides Christmas presents to local children in need and helps students with scholarships and more.

“I think it brings back fond memories for some of the people,” FOP President C.J. Foster said of Scoop the Loop. “We’ve even got volunteers serving like at the old drive-in restaurants.”

Foster said the all of the ingredients needed for the floats were donated by Big Red and Prairie Farms.

“The FOP and those sponsors really put in a lot to make this work,” Foster said.

The FOP also had its Pre-Scoop Cruise-In and Car Show on Friday night, bringing many more cars to Scoop the Loop on Saturday. For many, the event was a chance to see cars they might not have seen elsewhere, in addition to letting them reunite with people they haven’t seen in awhile.

“It’s a bunch of nice people having a good time and driving around,” said Jim Brackemyre of Seymour. “I mean, there goes a Volkswagen Thing. Where else are you going to see one of those?”

Tony Holland of Seymour said he thinks people should start scooping the loop more than just once a year.

“It’s a bunch of people riding their hot rods through town,” he said. “They should do it more often.”