For the first time in its nearly three-decade history, the 91原创 Good Times Cruise-In requires all participants to pre-register their vehicles ahead of the annual September car show.
The change comes as organizers face limits on space and after their request to expand the site was rejected by multiple levels of government.
A few weeks ahead of the show, more than 500 cars have already signed up.
Cruise-In president Riccardo Sestito said the move to complete online registration has received mixed reactions, but it鈥檚 the only way to ensure the event runs smoothly.
鈥淭his is a pre-registered show this year because we鈥檙e running out of space,鈥� said Sestito.
In past years, car enthusiasts could line up before dawn on the morning of the show to register their vehicles on-site.
That tradition, Sestito acknowledged, has been tough to part with.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a little bit of grumbling because people want to register the morning of,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut this way, you鈥檙e basically guaranteed a spot.鈥�
The change was prompted by capacity concerns.
Sestito explained that when drivers who had already registered showed up later in the morning in past years, there often wasn鈥檛 space left because early risers without pre-registration had already filled the lots.
鈥淲e had to say pre-registration only, otherwise we just can鈥檛 get those cars off the streets,鈥� he said.
Sestito has been part of Cruise-In since 1998, the year after the inaugural event. He recalled attending his first Cruise-In as a visitor and realizing the disorganization came with its popularity.
鈥淭he first car show was just chaos鈥攃ars overheating, cars everywhere,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 opened my mouth and said, 鈥榊ou guys have a nightmare here.鈥� Next thing you know, I was helping.鈥�
Since then, he has held almost every position possible鈥攖reasurer, vice-president, president, and even 鈥渋n charge of toilets,鈥� he joked.
Despite steady growth, Cruise-In organizers recently hit a wall when they tried to expand the event site.
Sestito said their proposal would have stretched the site further east along Fraser Highway, adding space for up to 500 more vehicles and drawing more foot traffic toward businesses outside the current boundary.
鈥淲e had the means and the budget set aside 鈥� about $15,000 鈥� to handle the added costs like traffic control,鈥� Sestito explained.
鈥淚t would鈥檝e been a big benefit for the merchants on that side of town, too.鈥�
But, Sestito said, Township of 91原创, the City of Abbotsford, and the province turned down the request, citing concerns about traffic flow and the lack of a bypass road if Fraser Highway was closed further.
For now, Sestito and the rest of his Cruise-In team will work with the space they have.
On Sept. 6, registered participants are set to stage their cars at Aldergrove Community Secondary between 5 and 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6, before volunteers guide them into place.
Even with restrictions, excitement is high.
鈥淣ext week, when people start checking the weather forecast, registrations will really take off,鈥� Sestito said.
And if history is any indication, enthusiasm for Cruise-In will show no limit, he concluded.
People can pre-register their vehicles online at .
