A car giveaway, a supercars exhibit, stunt drivers, and a builders area – there are plenty of new plans for this year’s edition of the Langley Good Times Cruise-In car show.
Cruise-In president Riccardo Sestito said many of the popular features of the annual car show will return again, including the presence of In-N-Out Burger, the return of hot rod builder Jimmy Shine to present an award, an RC car display, and the hundreds of customs, classics, and hot rods on display on Saturday, Sept. 9.
Although not all details are finalized for every event, Sestito shared some information about what’s expected for this year’s show.
One new feature is an opportunity to win a car for a year, a partnership with Langley Chrysler dubbed Hand Over A Jeep.
According to Cruise-In director Marty Brown, the first 40 qualifying entrants will have a chance to win the one-year lease, along with insurance, by putting their hands on the Jeep Cherokee starting on the Thursday before Cruise-In. The last one to take their hand off wins the car for a year.
If need be, the finale will take place on Saturday at Cruise-In, with a draw among final contestants if more than one person makes it to mid-day on the Saturday.
“There’s so many car shows out there right now,” Sestito noted. “Cruise-In has always set the bar.”
The goal this year was to get some new blood into the all-volunteer organizing group – there are several new directors – and to come up with some more things that you could only see at Cruise-In, he said.
“The undertaking of what we do is huge,” said Sestito. “And we want to keep that.”
With Langley and the Lower Mainland major centres for filming, some auto stunt performers are expected to be present this year.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Crowds fill the streets of Aldergrove for Langley Good Times Cruise-In
There will also be a builders section, where local carbuilders will be set up to show off their work and techniques.
A display of high-end supercars – sports cars that cost well into six figures – is contemplated, and at the other end of the scale, there is expected to be a rock-crawling display of radio controlled cars.
There will be a number of new, local bands this year, along with Steve Elliot’s Elvis performance.
Along with the return of In-N-Out Burger, there are expected to be seven food trucks set up near the intersection of Fraser Highway and Old Yale Road.
There will be plenty of paid public parking at nearby schools, including Aldergrove Community Secondary and Betty Gilbert Middle School to the south of the main display area.
Organizers are looking into setting up a shuttle bus this year to get folks to and from the parking area.
The annual Sunday swap meet will also be returning, seeing vendors setting up to sell all sorts of car parts, accessories, and memorabilia.
The Cruise-In is run entirely by volunteers, so every dollar that doesn’t pay for the show itself goes straight to local charities. Last year, the Cruise-In supported 11 local and regional charity groups, as well as providing funds for five more groups whose members worked as volunteers on the actual event.
Charities supported included local community schools, social service groups like Encompass Support Services and Ishtar Transition Housing Society, the Rotary Starfish Backpack program, the Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary, and Bikers Against Child Abuse.
As usual, the Cruise-In will shut down Fraser Highway through Aldergrove, from about 264th into the downtown, for much of the day.
Organizers are working closely with the Township of Langley and the local RCMP on traffic control and security. One thing that helps with traffic, Sestito noted, is that the Township has ensured there are no other major events going on nearby on Sept. 9, which helps make traffic around the area smoother for everyone.
Registrations are currently open through the Cruise-In’s website at www.langleycruise-in.com.
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