The Parksville Qualicum Beach area will be classic car central again this summer, with a number of big events for all car lovers.
The season starts with the 21st annual Seaside Cruizers' Father's Day Show 'n Shine in Qualicum Beach. They expect to reach their maximum 575 entries, ranging from hundred- year-old motorcycles to late model sports cars.
There are car-events all weekend with the cruise night starting at Harris Oceanside GM at 5 p.m. for a drive meandering through the region to Qualicum Beach and back.
The next day the Poker Run will meet at the Arrowsmith Golf and Country Club at 11 a.m. before another cruise around the community followed by the Maloomba Boogie Band's street dance starting at 6 p.m. in downtown Qualicum Beach.
Sunday, June 14, the main event takes over the streets from 7 a.m. to mid-afternoon with vendors, music and fun for the whole family.
Cruizers' chair Dave Field said most entries are from the Island, but they come from far and wide with a sample from across Western Canada, the Pacific Northwest and places like California and Montana. Last year there was an entry from Florida.
Always a family event, this year they are focusing even more on activities for children with an expanded kid zone at 2nd Ave. near the main stage.
Visit http://seasidecruizers.com for more information.
Just a few weeks later the region's other, long running show will mark it's 25th year on Parksville Beach, under a new name as the Van Isle Shriners Show and Shine, on Sunday, Aug. 3, on the B.C. Day long weekend.
This year the event is being taken over by the Parksville/Qualicum and Nanaimo Shrine clubs who expect hundreds of vehicles as usual at the spectacular setting on the big grassy field at the beach.
Sticking with tradition, the newly named show will still open with the Saturday night cruise starting at A&W.
The net proceeds from the event will go to the Shriners of B.C. & Yukon Child Services Society to help the transportation of children and their caregivers to and from Shrine Hospitals and Vancouver pediatric facilities.
Organizers are looking for more sponsors to show their support for the weekend to "help the children."
The grounds open at 7 a.m., with a pancake breakfast from 7:30 to 11:30, and awards wrapping up around 3 p.m. Visit http://vanisleshrinersshowandshine.com/ for more information.
Two weeks later there is a big, new entry on the local car show calendar with the first of what is intended to be the annual Nanoose Show and Shine and Family Day on Sunday, Aug. 17.
Put on by the Mid Island Hot Rod Association (MIHRA) at the giant Arbutus Meadows arena and grounds, the event will be a fundraiser for the Nanoose Community Services and Food Bank.
Made up of some of the founders of the Seaside Cruizers car club, MIHRA is looking to take advantage of the huge facility and grounds where they will have show cars scattered around the grassy fields with vendors, an artisan market, swap meet, Parksville Lions beer garden and live music in the 60,000 sq.ft. building.
Music will include Time Machine, with hits from the 1950s and '60s, the Arrowsmith Pipe Band, Maloomba Boogie Band and buskers scattered around the property.
The family event will include pony rides, a Mount Arrowsmith Vaulters demonstration, a huge kid zone with inflatable attractions, a wide assortment of food trucks and of course hundreds of collector vehicles, mostly pre-1988 classics, with some big rigs and others thrown into the mix.
Bill Lineham, one of the MIHRA directors, said they have over 20 categories of awards and though they don't know how many cars they will have for the inaugural event, they are estimating around 300.
The day kicks off with a Shriners pancake breakfast at 7 a.m., when the cars are allowed in to set up, with the gates open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
At $15 for car entries, organizers said it's one of the least expensive shows around and spectator admission is by donation, with all proceeds going to help local people in need. Visit http://mihra.ca/ for more information.
Complimenting these shows, there are at least four others in the region this summer starting with the Harris Oceanside GM show of their cars from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, July 12.
On Saturday, August 2 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. the big Ocean Idlers Blast from the Past will be held at the Coombs Fairgrounds.
On August 17, A&W restaurants across the country will host their all-day, annual MS Cruisin' for a Cause Charity Day with classic cars and in-store deals and fun events.
On August 30, the Ocean Idlers will host their annual Cops for Cancer fundraiser and car show at Thalassa Restaurant at the Qualicum Beach Memorial Golf Course.
Watch for more on these and other great car-related events in The NEWS.