Prince George, B.C. – The 40th Father’s Day Show and Shine held Sunday was, without a doubt, hugely popular and a fantastic success.

It took a little time finding a place to park your vehicle because, without exaggeration, virtually every legal parking spot east of Queensway, between Patricia Boulevard and the Hudson Bay Slough, was occupied at any given time during the 6-hour event.  Some attendees even parked on 17th Avenue west of Queensway and took the stroll to the park.

Once there, though, the show was great.  George Windsor, President of the Cruisin Classics car club, says registration for the event went well.  “We’re probably right around the 400 mark, we were in the very high 300s so we’re probably at 400 units.”  That included all categories, cars, pick-ups, big rigs, motorcycles, the whole works.  Show and Shine chair Dwaine Harvey says plenty of out-of-towners took part.  “We’ve got cars from Victoria, cars from Langley, Burns Lake, Williams Lake, some from Terrace, Dawson Creek.  I don’t think we had any from Alberta this year.”

Harvey says it’s a sizeable job putting on this event.  “Takes quite a bit, we start normally in January, collect up our sponsors, get ready to do a T-shirt and then April/May we start putting things together.   So, at least four months I suppose and lots of help, lots of volunteers.”

He says they have at least 30 active sponsors that participate every year, to which Windsor adds, “we have two major sponsors that enable us to ensure this event and have free admission for the public.  So there’s no gate fee or anything, that’s thanks to our major sponsors Northland Dodge and Lordco.”  Harvey adds another major sponsor is Debbie-Lee Advertising.  “They do all the printing, all of the programs, all the posters all for free so that’s a pretty major cost also.”

Harvey figures it costs about $12 thousand to put the event on, although Windsor says “I think if we added Brent’s (Marshall) advertising in there it would be up and over.”     He says Show and Shine does generate some money as well.  “The people putting their cars on show do pay a $10 fee but they get a loaded goodie bag and a dash plaque, but really it’s because of the major sponsors that we’re able to keep afloat for this event.”

Money that is generated is donated to a number of organizations around town.  Windsor says “one of our favorite ones is Hospice House.  We do give some to the Salvation Army at Christmas and it gets spread out through the community.  Also we do some school bursaries for the College of New Caledonia, anybody that’s interested in mechanical or that sort of thing.”  AIMHI is another beneficiary, and Windsor notes that Show and Shine is the Cruisin Classics lone income event of the year.

The vehicle owners registering for Show and Shine are eligible to win a trophy based on public voting.  There is no judging, it’s all peoples’ choice for the winners in 17 different categories.  And there were many beauties to try and choose from.  Just as there were some in attendance who wistfully recalled learning first hand what a rumble seat was all about.  Memories, until next year then.