INNISFAIL – Downtown Innisfail was a bustling place Saturday, with people, cars, vendors, food and family fun for the annual Weekend of Wheels.
The Sept. 14 and 15 event included a show and shine on Saturday along Main Street and the 100-foot shootout on Sunday at the Innisfail Arena.
“We’re absolutely overwhelmed at the response today,” said Russ Klemmer, past president of the Innisfail Kinsmen Club and event organizer. “With the weather forecast, we were expecting to have a few more cars than we had in the past, which is typically around the 120 to 130 mark, and I believe we are well over 180 right now. It’s absolutely wonderful.”
The show and shine kicked off the festivities and featured dozens of muscle and mopar, antique, classic and modern vehicles and showcased the restored cars and trucks.
“We’ve had very positive feedback. Moving back downtown I think allows us to bring in those additional cars and have space (for them),” said Klemmer. “It’s really exciting and for downtown we’re bringing hundreds, if not thousands of people downtown that hopefully step into the businesses and buy something.”
In addition to the dazzling display of muscle and mopar, the Weekend of Wheels also included a variety of vendors, activities and food trucks.
Visitors and participants came from across Central Alberta, including first-time participant Renee Patyna from Okotoks, who entered her and her husband’s 1966 Ford Fairlane.
“We’re from a car family. My son-in-law and his father typically attend most of the car shows in the area so this year we tagged along,” said Patyna. “This is a perfect location, downtown. I think it brings a lot of attention to the local businesses and restaurants.”
Steve Turner from Red Deer County has participated in the Weekend of Wheels for close to 12 years. He returned again this year with his 1941 Chevy pickup truck, which he named Dad’s Old Truck.
“We put a bunch of trucks together to build Dad’s Old Truck and we’ve painted it so it looks like it’s rusty,” said Turner. “A lot of people helped me restore it to where it is today.
“I enjoy talking to people, visiting and enjoy all the old cars. Downtown Innisfail is fabulous,” he added. “It was a great idea to return it downtown.”
The annual fundraiser, presented by the Innisfail Kinsmen Club, has raised funds for the new Innisfail skatepark for several years.
“The sponsors we have and continue to gain each year, make this event happen and provide us the funds which we donated back to the community,” explained Klemmer. “This year it’s for the skatepark as it was in previous years.”
Klemmer said Sunday’s shootout was possible in large part due to a platinum sponsor, Howell’s Excavating in Innisfail.
“Without them we wouldn’t have our shootout. One of the biggest parts of safety for the shootout is the concrete blocks to line both sides of the street,” he said, adding they needed 75 blocks, weighing 4,500 pounds each.
“Howell’s stepped up and donated the trucking and shipping to bring them out to the shootout and put them in place so we could have it,” he added, noting last year’s company wasn’t available for the weekend event.
The shootout is another popular feature of the Weekend of Wheels.
“We’ve received a lot of phone calls, a lot of interest on our Facebook page so if cars show up, it should be another good show,” said Klemmer.
