For the second year running, Eric Taylor is at the wheel of the 91原创 Good Times Cruise-In.
And the president of what芒鈧劉s billed as Western Canada芒鈧劉s best-attended charity event hopes the 2014 show and shine on Saturday, Sept. 6 and related swap meet and car corral on Sunday, Sept. 7 will turn out to be a smooth drive.
Since its inception in 1997, with 430 registered vehicles that year, Cruise-In has grown into an event that芒鈧劉s nearly a year in the making, with a committee made up of nine board members, most long term, and various sub committees planning and organizing for the better part of 10 months.
Cruise-In took a hiatus in 2010 for restructuring purposes before starting its engine up again in 2011.
芒鈧揑 think it [the one year absence] was good for everybody, except the people who wanted to go to the car show that year,芒鈧� Taylor said.
The ensuing three Cruise-Ins that followed the aforementioned 2010 pit stop picked up where the previous events left off, which was good news for the groups that benefit from the event.
The 2013 Cruise-In generated $53,524, all donated to local charities.
芒鈧揘ot bad for a one-day event,芒鈧� Taylor said.
Funds raised from this year芒鈧劉s Cruise-In will go to the 91原创 Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, 91原创 community support groups, Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Association, PuCKS, the Boys & Girls Club, the Douglas Park Elementary Association, and the Legacy Water Search and Recovery Society.
Looking ahead to Sept. 6 and 7, Taylor, who took over the role of president from Riccardo Sestito last year, said, 芒鈧揥e芒鈧劉re going along well. [But] our registrations are down and we芒鈧劉re anxious to have people sign up.芒鈧�
Typically, 1,000 vehicles are registered for Cruise-In each year.
芒鈧揥e usually have 4-500 of them pre-register,芒鈧� Taylor said.
As of earlier this week, there were fewer than 300 entrants signed up.
芒鈧揟his is late, very late, to have that low a number,芒鈧� Taylor said. 芒鈧揥e芒鈧劉re looking to do things to encourage people to pre-register because it costs us so much money to put the show on, and we芒鈧劉re actually putting money out up front to get the show up and operating.芒鈧�
Once the classic cars, hot rods, and motorcycles on display are parked in their designated spots, and the vendors and entertainment stages are in place, Fraser Highway from 203rd Street to the end of the one-way portion, and all of its connecting streets, as well as Douglas Crescent and 56th Avenue are closed to traffic so visitors can stroll around and enjoy the day.
While Taylor enjoys the Cruise-In day itself, he most enjoyed handing out cheques to the benefiting charities later in the year.
Another bright note is the swap meet and car corral, which continues to build momentum.
The parking lot at Kwantlen Polytechnic University is dedicated to cars for sale.
芒鈧揃ring your car, make a $20 donation that day, we芒鈧劉ll put a for sale on it, and you have crowds of people walking up and down looking at cars for sale,芒鈧� Taylor said.
Last year was the most successful to date, according to Taylor.
芒鈧揑t was fantastic,芒鈧� he said. 芒鈧揂s far as cars being sold, I know it went well, I know that several sold. But the parking lot was absolutely jam-packed with vendors.芒鈧�
The day of the swap meet, vendors start setting up as early as 4 a.m., Taylor said.
For the Saturday show and shine, the Ultimate Garage, sponsored by Lordco, returns for another year. Also back is the marketplace, with vendors showing and selling their wares, and loads of entertainment including the always-popular 芒鈧揈lvis Elite芒鈧� Steve Elliott on the main stage as well as the Seattle Cossacks motorcycle drill team that is 芒鈧搒pectacular to see,芒鈧� Taylor said.
芒鈧揑 think there are nine performers and they all drive 1930, 1940 motorcycles and sometimes you芒鈧劉ll see nine of them on one motorcycle,芒鈧� Taylor said. 芒鈧揟hat芒鈧劉s one worth going to watch in the parking lot in the casino.芒鈧�
If you want to enter your vehicle in the Cruise-In, now芒鈧劉s the time.
You can download a registration form online, or find out more information, by clicking .
