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Organizers counting down to Langley Good Times Cruise-In

Aldergrove merchants embrace show’s arrival with cleanup party this Saturday.
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Organizers of the annual charity car show, Langley Good Times Cruise-In reaffirm the event is a go for Saturday, Sept. 9. (Langley Advance Files)

Langley Good Times Cruise-In is going ahead.

If there’s one message organizers want to spread just 10 days out from the show, it’s to reassure car collectors and enthusiasts alike that this year’s annual charity car show is definitely a “go.”

It’s a new location, but Cruise-In is still happening, said Riccardo Sestito, a past president and director for the volunteer-driven event.

“There have been rumblings that the Cruise-In was cancelled, and that’s not true,” he insisted. “Cruise-In is still happening.”

Permits are in place, volunteers have been oriented, traffic plans are in order, and the merchants “are welcoming us with open arms,” Sestito said.

This year’s Cruise-In is on Saturday, Sept. 9, followed by the car corral and swap meet on the Sunday.

The hours are the same (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday). Many of the people are the same.

The only real change, Sestito said, is the location. After a falling out with the City over costs, the organizing committee negotiated with the Township to move this year’s show to Aldergrove.

Admittedly, he said, relocating an event of this size and magnitude to a totally different venue after 20 years has proven challenging.

“We’ve had an uphill battle with some things,” Sestito said, including a lot of extra work and planning required with the municipal, provincial, and even federal governments to get all the necessary permits and permissions in order.

“But everything is done,” he added. “Things are coming together slowly, but they’re all coming together.”

Now, he said, it’s a matter of encouraging car collectors to come out, car and charity enthusiasts to show up, and the sun gods to be kind.

He and other board members are expecting participation in the show to be down slightly this year, “because of the move.” But only “slightly” Sestito insisted.

They’re expecting 1,100 to 1,200 cars this years, for instance, compared to last year’s 1,400 to 1,500.

The focus this year will be on putting on a quality show in the new location and ironing out any unexpected bugs.

If they can do that, and he’s convinced they can, then word will spread among any skeptics and naysayers, and Sestito is confident that in years to come, the numbers will rebuild and possibly even surpass the past – since there is physically room to grow the show further.

“Together, we’re going to make it strong again.”

A lot of effort has been devoted to anticipating issues with the new location, and being proactive, Sestito explained.

One of the most common questions he’s hearing pertains to parking. He assured spectators there will be ample parking on side streets, as well as at the neighbouring parks, schools, and parking lots. And an army of traffic control personnel will be working to keep traffic flowing smoothly around the core.

“It’s nerve racking, that’s for sure. Twenty years but it’s always been that way. It’s still nerve racking because you don’t know what’s going to happen. There are so many variables… There’s so many unknowns… It’s all foreign to us right now… But we’re going to be there,” Sestito reiterated. “Rain or shine, it’s going on.”

• Click here to read a message from the Cruise-In president Wayne Patterson

• Stay tuned to print and online editions of

the Langley Advance for more about Cruise-In

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Roxanne Hooper

About the Author: Roxanne Hooper

I began in the news industry at age 15, but honestly, I knew I wanted to be a community journalist even before that.
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