is going ahead.
If there鈥檚 one message organizers want to spread just 10 days out from the show, it鈥檚 to reassure car collectors and enthusiasts alike that this year鈥檚 annual charity car show is definitely a 鈥済o.鈥�
It鈥檚 a new location, but Cruise-In is still happening, said Riccardo Sestito, a past president and director for the volunteer-driven event.
鈥淭here have been rumblings that the Cruise-In was cancelled, and that鈥檚 not true,鈥� he insisted. 鈥淐ruise-In is still happening.鈥�
Permits are in place, volunteers have been oriented, traffic plans are in order, and the merchants 鈥渁re welcoming us with open arms,鈥� Sestito said.
This year鈥檚 Cruise-In is on Saturday, Sept. 9, followed by the car corral and swap meet on the Sunday.
The hours are the same (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday). Many of the people are the same.
The only real change, Sestito said, is the location. After a falling out with the City over costs, the organizing committee negotiated with the Township to move this year鈥檚 show to Aldergrove.
Admittedly, he said, relocating an event of this size and magnitude to a totally different venue after 20 years has proven challenging.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had an uphill battle with some things,鈥� Sestito said, including a lot of extra work and planning required with the municipal, provincial, and even federal governments to get all the necessary permits and permissions in order.
鈥淏ut everything is done,鈥� he added. 鈥淭hings are coming together slowly, but they鈥檙e all coming together.鈥�
Now, he said, it鈥檚 a matter of encouraging car collectors to come out, car and charity enthusiasts to show up, and the sun gods to be kind.
He and other board members are expecting participation in the show to be down slightly this year, 鈥渂ecause of the move.鈥� But only 鈥渟lightly鈥� Sestito insisted.
They鈥檙e expecting 1,100 to 1,200 cars this years, for instance, compared to last year鈥檚 1,400 to 1,500.
The focus this year will be on putting on a quality show in the new location and ironing out any unexpected bugs.
If they can do that, and he鈥檚 convinced they can, then word will spread among any skeptics and naysayers, and Sestito is confident that in years to come, the numbers will rebuild and possibly even surpass the past 鈥� since there is physically room to grow the show further.
鈥淭ogether, we鈥檙e going to make it strong again.鈥�
A lot of effort has been devoted to anticipating issues with the new location, and being proactive, Sestito explained.
One of the most common questions he鈥檚 hearing pertains to parking. He assured spectators there will be ample parking on side streets, as well as at the neighbouring parks, schools, and parking lots. And an army of traffic control personnel will be working to keep traffic flowing smoothly around the core.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nerve racking, that鈥檚 for sure. Twenty years but it鈥檚 always been that way. It鈥檚 still nerve racking because you don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going to happen. There are so many variables鈥� There鈥檚 so many unknowns鈥� It鈥檚 all foreign to us right now鈥� But we鈥檙e going to be there,鈥� Sestito reiterated. 鈥淩ain or shine, it鈥檚 going on.鈥�
鈥� Stay tuned to print and online editions of
the 91原创 Advance for more about Cruise-In
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