INNISFAIL – The weather was near perfect, the crowds large and the excitement non-stop over two days.
More importantly, the success of this year's annual Weekend of Wheels will ultimately benefit the kids of the community, with up to $2,000 raised for the community's new skatepark.
“We are over our heads ecstatic on both the turnout for yesterday's (Sept. 9) Show & Shine, and we've got a few more cars this year for the Shootout which makes it even better,” said Russ Klemmer, a director with the Innisfail Kinsmen, who with the Kinette Club of Innisfail took over the event in 2016 from the Downtown Business Association to make it a fundraiser for the new skatepark. He said about 20 cars entered this year's Shootout compared to 15 in 2016, while 140 were displayed at the Show & Shine, 30 more than were entered the year before.
He said there were “easily hundreds” of spectators who attended both Weekend of Wheels events.
“They will come and go based on their schedules, but at any given time we probably had 80 to 100 walking around at some point,” said Klemmer.
The Show & Shine was held at a new location. In the past it was a fixture on Main Street, but this year it was moved to a large pavement and grass area beside John's nofrills, which gave the huge throng of car lovers a chance to admire a whole variety of motor vehicles, from classic vintage models, to muscle cars and even motorcycles.
“I have been here before and this is good,” said vintage car collector Mervyn Pidherney of Rocky Mountain House who displayed his 1954 Buick Roadmaster convertible, along with a miniature version that featured Chico, his longhaired chihuahua in the driver's seat. “This car took first place at a Penticton car show last year when 900 cars were on display.”
The Show & Shine event ended with several homemade awards handed out to the best entries, including a People's Choice Award.
Meanwhile, the Shootout, which was brought back last year by the service clubs after being dropped by previous organizers due to lack of volunteer help, was a must-see attraction for the hundreds of spectators who attended from 11 a.m. to after 4 p.m. It was followed by the Burnout competition.
Klemmer said what made this year's Weekend of Wheels extra special and successful was the reliable volunteer help and hard work to get the message out to the public.
“A big part of it (success) is the work put out by all of the volunteers, and vendors sharing the event with their peers,” he said. “We were really big on Facebook this year, trying to get the word out.”
But most of all the biggest sign of success this year compared to 2016 was the amount raised for the town's new skatepark.
“Last year was the first year the Innisfail Kinsmen and Kinette Club of Innisfail put it on. It was a learning period and we probably made a whopping $184 for the event,” said Klemmer, later adding he expected to raise up to $2,000 this year. “The weather has cooperated, the word has gotten out, and it has grown.
“I am always astounded by the continued community support,” he added. “Innisfail has always supported non-profit groups. We put up the event and people show up for it, so that is always amazing.”
Russ Klemmer, a director with the Innisfail Kinsmen
"We are over our heads ecstatic on both the turnout for yesterday's (Sept. 9) Show & Shine, and we've got a few more cars this year for the Shootout which makes it even better."
