Daily News File Photo The parade takes a scenic drive down Old Scottsville Road on July 15, 2011, during the annual National Corvette Homecoming.

To call Richard Yanko a Corvette enthusiast is an understatement.

The proud owner of seven Corvettes, the Bowling Green man has a great love for them. He saw his first Corvette in 1953 but didn’t get his first, a 1967 model, until 1977.

”I like the unique style of being a two-seater. They’re beautiful cars,” he said. “They kind of grow on you.”

Other people who feel the same are rolling into Bowling Green for the 32nd annual Corvette Homecoming. The event, which includes car tours, seminars, a police-escorted parade and other activities, is today through Saturday at the Sloan Convention Center.

“They buy their first Corvette and they hear about the homecoming, and lo and behold, they meet people and come back next year,” said Joe Pruitt of Bowling Green, who owns rights to the homecoming.

This year’s grand marshal will be Barry Meguiar, the third-generation owner of Meguiar’s Inc., which his grandfather founded in 1901. Meguiar also created Car Crazy Television, which airs weekly on Fox’s SPEED Channel. Meguiar’s produces a line of car care products.

“He has grown to the No. 1 wash and polish in the country, if not the world,” Pruitt said.

A concert with 7 Bridges, an Eagles tribute band, will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the convention center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $35 for general seating and $45 for reserved seats. “We want people to get out and support it,” Pruitt said.

More than 125 people have preregistered for the homecoming, and Pruitt expects more will come.

“The economy is better, and people have found out we’re doing things right. We’re not trying to gouge people,” he said. “We have increased the price, but they can have an economical weekend or buy more things if they want to.”

Corvette enthusiasts are passionate about the cars.

“I talked to a lady from California. Her motor home broke down in Nebraska,” Pruitt said. “They had been intending to do this for several years. She said if they couldn’t get the motor home fixed, they would put their clothes in the Corvette and be there.”

Yanko enjoys helping Pruitt with the show.

“It brings people together, folks that like the hobby. Joe has something for everybody,” he said. “He’s got a good show and a good venue. Hopefully it will continue for years to come. It’s a good thing for Bowling Green.”

– Alyssa Harvey covers features for the Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/bgdnfeatures or visit bgdailynews.com.

The parade gathering begins at 3:45 p.m. Friday at Greenwood High School with the parade at 4:15 p.m.

Participants will turn left from the school onto Scottsville Road, right on Cumberland Trace, right on Old Scottsville Road, left on Roy Thomas Road and right at the stop sign on Middlebridge Road. From there, left on Hunts Lane, right on Cemetery Road, left on Ky. 1533, straight at the stop sign, bear right at the Y, left at Ky. 252 North and cross Barren River Dam. From there, turn left on Ky. 255 North, left on Ky. 1297, right on Porter Pike, right on Corvette Drive and left into the National Corvette Museum.