Car collectors, start your engines.
The Hope & Valley Cruisers and Hope Motorsports are partnering to host three days of motoring events over the Canada Day long weekend.
It starts with the Canada Day Car Show on July 1 in Memorial Park. Registration opens at 8 a.m., with public viewing starting at 10 a.m. The show is scheduled to run until 3 p.m.
There are dash plaques for the first 150 vehicles, and there is a $10 donation for entry per vehicle. There is no fee to come to the park and enjoy the show.
Arnice Arquin with the Hope & Valley Cruisers says they are preparing to welcome anywhere up to 500 cars, based on the surging popularity of classic cars through the pandemic.
Other car shows are seeing a huge bump in registration even over pre-pandemic numbers.
The last Canada Day Car Show pre-pandemic saw 260 cars turn out.
Arquin said they have talked to car owners who have never shown their cars before who are planning to come. The surging interest is being felt across the Lower Mainland.
“Places like the Old Car Centre in Langley have said they can’t keep up to it,” she said. “Some of the local cars that have never seen the park are coming out. We’ve talked to people who just haven’t come out who said they’ll be here.”
It’s no surprise to hear that classic cars are becoming more popular, and there are also new people in the area who may want to get out and meet other car enthusiasts.
Arquin’s heard that the Tesla club is coming, and perhaps a few people from the Vancouver Camaro Club.
The weekend will also include two car cruises.
“The first one is just to get people out and about and beyond the community,” she said. “We’ve been trapped inside and now we want to dust them off and show them off.”
That’s on July 2, and moves throughout Silver Creek, Yale, Dogwood and Hope. Anyone wanting to join in can meet at the Memorial Park bus parking area on 3rd Avenue by 11 a.m.
And then, on July 3, there will be a Classic Car Cruise throughout Hope. That ride begins at 11 a.m. at the Memorial Park bus parking as well.
If you want to watch the cars, there is a map printed on the back of the Canada Flag in this newspaper. All the main areas of town will be covered by the cruise. It’s the same route the cruises have taken in the past, and Arquin said they enjoy when people come out with their lawn chairs and wave them on.
While there is still some time to plan, they have not been able to secure a concession operator as of press deadline, and are hoping to get a food truck or two on site for all the people that will be in the park.
They are also working on securing live entertainment.
Anyone interested can contact Arquin at 604-793-8124 or Scott Medlock at 604-750-8648.
@CHWKcommunity
jessica.peters@abbynews.com
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