Kicking off summer in Penticton, the Peach City Beach Cruise is celebrating their 17th year of continuing to attract cars from all over North America.
鈥淚 guess there is many reasons, obviously one is the setting. Many cars shows are in lots and fields. We have the lake behind us and everywhere from the Sicamous to the hotels and the parks. I can鈥檛 think of another setting unless you go to Pebble Beach in California that can compete with us,鈥� said Wayne Wood, president of the Peach City Beach Cruise which takes place June 23 to 25.
Show vehicles will be on display the entire length of Lakeshore Drive, as well as in Rotary Park and Lakawana Park over the course of the three-day event. For the first time in the beach cruise history, car registration has sold old with 750 vehicles that will be on display.
鈥淭hat is the maximum number of vehicles the show can accommodate. Vehicles registered include more than 25 collector Chevrolet SSR trucks, over 50 1955 and 1956 Ford Crown Victoria鈥檚, 30 Chevrolet Monte Carlo鈥檚 and the Ford Mustang鈥檚 are coming enmass,鈥� said Wood.
Visitors will be coming from as far south as Texas and Arizona and across the Pacific Northwest. Organizers said it is a great event not only for car buffs, but for the city in general as it brings in many tourists.
鈥淵ou cannot get a place unless someone has a cancellation from Osoyoos to Princeton. If you want a place you have to book a year ahead,鈥� said Wood.
While the length of Lakeshore Drive will be filled with show cars, the Old Boys and Their Toys will be in Lakawanna Park with displays of vintage tractors, machinery and stationary engines.
There is also plenty of entertainment in Gyro Park with 2003 grand national champion Elvis Tribute Artist Jeff Bodner, Nearly Neil cranking out Neil Diamond鈥檚 greatest hits and international Kenny Rogers tribute artist Marty Edwards.
Bodner appears on Friday (4 p.m.) and Saturday (12:45 p.m. 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.) with a special gospel Elvis performance on Sunday morning at 10 a.m., Nearly Neil performs on Saturday (10 p.m. and at 8 p.m. as Bobby Bruce with the Solitary Band) and Kinda Kenny on Friday (7:15 p.m.).
Admission to the Gyro Park entertainment is $3 at the gate for a show button with partial proceeds to the B.C. Children鈥檚 Hospital. The button is good for all shows during the whole weekend. Other live music will perform throughout the weekend in Gyro Park.
An episode of My Classic Car will also be filmed at the Peach City Beach Cruise. The show, hosted by Dennis Gage, is featured on MAVTV reaching over 100 million households.
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鈥淲e have something for everybody. It is definitely a family show, free to view come on down and have a look,鈥� said Wood.
