Langley Good Times Cruise-In is going ahead again, and yes the volunteer-run organization is looking for people willing to help ensure this year’s show is another resounding success.
President Riccardo Sestito, who’s been involved with the show as an exhibitor, volunteer, and director since the charity car show’s inception in 1997, confirmed the Cruise-In is happening again. It’s on Saturday, Sept. 10 in downtown Aldergrove.
Admittedly, some glitches with their website have lead to many people speculating the show was cancelled. But that’s not the case, Sestito fanatically refutes.
Their website, he said, is operational again – but currently only offering car registrations. Further updates are best followed, right now, on the Cruise-In Facebook page.
The two messages that Sestito wants to get out now to the public, most of all, is that the show will proceed as planned, and that they’re looking for about 100 volunteers to help with everything from managing entry gates to collecting garbage throughout the day.
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It’s a great fundraising option for a sports team or community organizations to increase profile, raise a few dollars, build team morale, and help out the community, Sestito said, noting the Cruise-In board endeavours to reward involvement of such groups with a portion of the money raised by the annual charity show.
For instance, he said, a group of 20 able-bodied young athletes could collect garbage and recycling throughout the day, dividing up the duties over four-hour shifts, and raise as much as $500 (depending on how much the show raises that year).
Similarly, a charity could again share duties among a team of its volunteers manning one of dozens of gates. Divvying duties up into shorter shifts makes it easier and gives volunteers a chance to take in the show before or after their shift.
Other volunteers could also be needed for vehicle staging in the morning and a few other duties that go into making the show possible and successful, Sestito added, noting the community’s single largest event of the year continues to be completely volunteer-driven and all about giving back to the community.
Volunteers should be at least 16 years of age or older, or accompanied by an adult. Those who do volunteer are given a Cruise-In T-shirt and lunch.
Langley Good-Times Cruise-In was started by a small group of Langley City merchants and business people, with 430 cars registered in year one. The peak through the years came in 2002 when they saw 1,532 vehicles, and last year came close with in excess of 1,200 registered in the show. Literally tens of thousands of spectators attend each year.
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Sestito expects similar numbers this year. Cruise-In, he said, has become one of the country’s largest mixed car shows, and has garnered an international reputation as one of the largest charity car shows in North America.
The show moved to Aldergrove in 2017, and sees a wide variety of collector, vintage, and custom vehicles, as well as live entertainment, and food vendors set up along Fraser Highway, from 264th to 272nd Streets. Cars start loading in at 6 a.m., and the show opens to the public at 8 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m.
The Cruise-In car show is only the one day, but there is also a swap meet and car corral that will again be held at Aldergrove Community Secondary the next day.
Anyone interested in volunteering for Cruise-In, be it an individual or a group, is invited to email: backseatinfo@telus.net.
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