After two years of COVID, car aficionado Marty Brown was glad to be back on the field at D.W. Poppy Secondary school along with hundreds of classic cars and thousands of car fans on Sunday, May 1.
“It has a really great positive vibe,” the Langley resident remarked about the all-volunteer fundraiser for the school.
“It’s definitely got a big heart.”
Principal Diane Smillie was explaining it was their 33rd show, which is held “every year aside from the COVID years.”
“We are raising money for our shops and its been very, very successful,” Smillie said.
Event coordinator Kerri Winter reported the show could set an all-time record for the most cars at 825, biggest crowd with more than 4,000 visitors, and, potentially, the most money raised with a rough early tally of around $40,000.
“It really is part of the Poppy culture,” Winter told the Langley Advance Times.
About 150 volunteers kept it all running smoothly.
The show is the school’s biggest fundraiser and benefits the shops and school technology, athletic teams, dry grad and many others.
Funds raised by this year’s show show will help the shop and tech ed departments to purchase tools and technology – this year, a tire mounting machine, CNC (computer numerical control) router machine and a large capacity grill for school events.
READ ALSO: Decades-old automotive tradition back at Langley school
Brown, one of the judges at the 33rd annual car show, brought his own “Hootenany” 1929 Model A hot rod with its distinctive weathered patina.
Brown was pleased to see the “next generation” of car fans is coming up, with more young people developing an interest in old, cool cars.
People like Jeffrey Morris, a mechanic and his dad Joe, a realtor from West Langley.
“He’s a car nut, just like me,” Joe said of his son.
Joe brought his 1946 Ford with a 300 horsepower Corvette engine under the hood.
“It’s built Ford tough with Chevy stuff,” Morris smiled.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: D.W. Poppy school car show draws crowds
Kevin Ball from Coquitlam brought his classic 1971 VW camper wagon with pop-up Westfalia roof, setting out folding cars and camping gear on portable furniture.
As immaculate as it looked, the VW is a working vehicle, he explained.
“We actually go camping in it,” he advised.
More photos from the day can be viewed on the Langley Advance Times Facebook page.
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