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Changing of the guard on tap as 2012 Cruise-In organizing begins

The annual car show will be returning to Langley City on Saturday, Sept. 8.

It’s a changing of the guard. Or as Eric Taylor, the new president-to-be of the Langley Good Times Cruise-In Society, jokingly puts it “the Fords are out and Chevys are in.”

This will be the last year presiding president (and huge Ford fan) Riccardo Sestito runs the Cruise-In, before vice-president Taylor (owner of many Chevrolets) takes over.

The annual car show, which was named one of the top 10 car shows in North America by Dennis Gage from the TV series My Classic Car, is returning to the streets of downtown Langley on Saturday, Sept. 8. Run completely by volunteers, the event raises tens of thousands of dollars for local charities every year.

Taylor came on as a new Cruise-In director at the show’s return last year, but has been involved with the car show for many years, organizing the marketplace. He will begin to handle some of Sestito’s duties this year, before becoming president in 2013.

But until the sun sets on the 2012 show, Sestito still has much work to do. Hosting an outdoor party for 100,000 people is no easy feat. And after the successful return of Cruise-In last year (in 2010 it was cancelled), the Cruise-In committee wants to make this year’s show even better.

In the early stages of planning, organizers have already confirmed the return of popular attractions such as the Ultimate Garage raffle, the swap meet and car corral on Sunday, Sept. 9, and the customs sideshow and marketplace, which was first introduced last year.

California burger chain In-N-Out Burgers will also be heading up north once again, to provide spectators with their famous “double-double” burgers.

And as always, the organizers hope to beat their fundraising goal from last year and break the $100,000 mark.

To date, they have managed to raise well over $1 million for local charities since the car show began in 1997. Last year, $86,000 was donated to the official Cruise-In charities Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Association, Langley Stroke Recovery and Langley Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.

The same three non-profits have been chosen as the Cruise-In beneficiaries again this year, allowing them to continue their programs funded through Cruise-In donations from last year.

Other community groups, including the four Rotary clubs of Langley and Aldergrove, the Langley and Aldergrove Lions, New Beginnings, Langley Legion, Langley Lodge, Langley Lacrosse, Langley Elks and Douglas Park Community School have also been able to raise additional money for their operations through concession stands and services offered on the day of the show.

Car registration is now open and will run until August. The 2012 registration forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 1-5761 Glover Rd. For more information, call the Chamber at 604-530-6656, visit the Langley Cruise-In Facebook page or visit www.langleycruise-in.com.