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Organizers of the 15th annual Just Kruzin’ Specialty Vehicle Club’s Show and Shine were revving their engines after seeing record-breaking numbers this year.
The show, held on Saturday at the Servus Sports Centre in conjunction with Border City Connects’ Ribfest, not only drew a large spectator following, but also reached new heights with registered guest vehicles.
“We’ve always had a goal of 200 guest cars plus our own, and the girls in the registration tent just told me we have 205,” said the show’s chair Gerry Duhaime.
“It’s taken us 15 years to get here, but we’re here, and I think we’ve proven we can put on a pretty classy show and shine,” he said, adding the weather was almost as supportive as the many sponsors and volunteers who help put on this annual show.
“I’ve got an amazing group of volunteers. You can’t do this by yourself, so hats off to the members of the club that helped out here today; it’s simply amazing,” he said.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters is doing a make and take with model cars for the kids, so they get to build a model car and take it home … Can-Do Auto and Lube is also sponsoring the matchbox races for the kids, and the kids also get to keep those matchbox cars,” he said.
And it wasn’t just passenger vehicles on display on Saturday.
The Lloydminster Rescue Squad, Britannia Fire Department and Canadian Armed Forces members from CFB Wainwright all had specialty vehicles on display, which was a huge draw for the day’s younger crowd.
Duhaime explained how getting kids involved and interested in cars and car culture is also something the show strives for.
“That’s the whole idea, to instil a sense of pride in the vehicles and an interest level,” he said.
“This is a hobby we enjoy and we want to pass it down. Kids today don’t know what a fin or chrome on a vehicle looks like because they’re all plastic now. To bring these back and show them, and put big smiles on their faces, that’s why we do this.”
Greg Steib, president of the Just Kruzin’ Specialty Vehicle Club, echoed Duhaime in saying the day is about more than just cars.
“Today is about getting the community together,” said Steib.
“Kids, families, the Just Kruzin’ family, everyone, and it’s about showing off some vehicles that normally sit in garages and hidden away from the world.”
Something new to this year’s show was the use of a large video screen, brought in by Maz Entertainment, which was something Duhaime was excited about.
“This year we changed things up and have Maz Entertainment here with their big screen,” he explained.
“They’ll do interviews on the big screen, but we’re also going to be displaying the winning vehicles on the screen so people can easily identify those who won.”
