Muscle cars, vintage automobiles and exotic European sports cars all have their place in the Olde Towne Okotoks Show and Shine which will roll into downtown on Aug. 14.
Keith Gray, one of the organizers of the annual event, said there have been some outstanding vehicles in the first two years of the car show.
“I have seen a fully race ready Chevelle street car with the blower and the whole nine yards,” Gray explained. “I have seen a custom-built roadster built right from scratch. And I’ve seen a ‘65 Mustang restored better than it was when it came out of the factory. We’ve had Ferraris and Lamborghinis. You never know what’s going to show up.”
Anyone who has got a distinctive and attractive vehicle, that’s insured, roadworthy, complete and not a work in progress can be a part of the show and shine by registering in front of the Sandstone Lodge off Centre Avenue in Okotoks beginning at 8 a.m.
“Lots of volunteers will be directing people on where to come and where to park,” said Marg Cox who is a local car enthusiast and show and shine organizer. “There will be lots of signage for people who are coming down too.”
Before the car spectacle takes over Okotoks’ downtown the classic cars will be darting through the community on Saturday evening as drivers seek a winning hand in the Okotoks Car Cruise and Poker Run.
“Basically it’s five bucks everybody tosses in the pot and the best hands at the end of the run get it,” Gray said.
Drivers sign up for the poker run at 6 p.m. at the George Traditional House on Saturday, Aug. 13 and the scavenger hunt begins and ends at that location. In between, competitors will hit several spots around town collecting playing cards in hopes of assembling an unbeatable poker hand. While many vintage vehicles usually come out for the run, a classic ride is not necessary to participate, just something that’s going to get you from checkpoint to checkpoint.
“You get a clue on a sheet paper to help you figure out where the next card pick up is and you go and get it,” Gray explained.
Capping off the evening will be a wrap-up bonfire and wiener roast allowing drivers to compare notes on where their individual poker runs went well or were diverted off course.
Cox said Sunday’s show and shine would also have some complimentary attractions including automotive based street vendors, a children’s area put on by KidSport complete with bouncy castles and a quilt show by Rumpled Quilt Skins.
Of course the major draw remains the vehicles, which come from near and far to be seen by the masses who assemble annually in Olde Towne Okotoks.
“There’s a real following with cars,’’ Cox explained. “They’ll travel the province and some will come from out of province. Last year we had some folks here from Saskatchewan and some who were coming down from Edmonton and Lloydminster.”
Gray, Cox and others who put on the show and shine do it because they too have a need to own and cruise in classic cars.
“I got a ‘35 Auburn Speedster I will be bringing down and a ‘64 Chevelle Convertible,” Gray said.
Cox and her husband Vernie own a ’64 GM truck, a ’69 Firebird, an ‘82 GMC truck and a late thirties Pontiac project car, but it is not quite roadworthy yet.
The Pontiac will have to wait to make it’s show and shine debut, but it will definitely get it’s chance since the event shows no signs of running out of gas.
“We’re now in our third year and I’m getting phone calls about the Poker Run and I have had countless calls about the show,” said Gray of the response to the events. “Basically, we’ve more than doubled things each year since the first year.”
Anyone looking for more details on the poker run or show and shine can call 403-938-8950.
