If you live anywhere in Western Canada or the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, the one show you do not want to miss every year is the Peach City Beach Cruise in Penticton, British Columbia. This year marked the 18th annual event and every year, the show grows and grows; becoming even better than the previous year. The previous years have broken records for turnout year after year but this year topped them all with 850 cars registered and attending the show! We’ve been attending for the past 4 years and took our 2004 Dodge SRT-4 to this year’s event.

“We managed to make a little more space this year to fit 850 cars, and it still sold out before the show date, says Wayne Wood, president of the event. “In our first year, we were thrilled to get 400 cars to show up before the end of the show. It’s grown a little bit. We were well over our number from last year, which was record-breaking; 762 cars. There were cars driving in from such far-flung places as Texas and New Mexico, and eastward beyond the prairies in Canada. It’s a serious trip these guys are taking to come to Penticton.”

In the past years, the event has been mainly pre-registration based however day of registration was available. These past two years though, the show sold-out more than a week in advance; leaving organizers to unfortunately turn around some people on the day of the show who didn’t pre-register. The show itself takes place over 3 days with multiple events taking place within the show such as a huge car cruise, wine tour and numerous live concert performances. It’s been called the Canadian version of “Hot August Nights in Reno.”

With half the street being closed off for car show parking, the other half is set-up as a one-way cruise lane for cars new and old to cruise along the beach in-front of the hotels. People line the streets day in and day out to watch the cars cruise by and there is guaranteed to be a party at every hotel! Even if you don’t enter a car in the show itself, it still pays off to come for the weekend and cruise the show in your car.

On Thursday night, everybody starts to cruise into town. Friday morning the car show starts with parking being set-up on Lakeshore Drive along the entire mile of beachfront and parks in-front of beautiful Okanagan Lake. You truly couldn’t ask for a more stunning backdrop to a car show. Friday evening, those who want can take place in a cruise along Main Street at 5:30pm. There was also entertainment, a beverage garden and more. Saturday morning, the car show swings into full action with over 25,000 people walking the street looking at all of the killer cars on display. Tons of folks stayed up late on Saturday night as the party, cruising and show continued on past midnight.

Mopars turned out in great numbers with all types ranging from our Neon SRT-4 to an original 1969 Charger Daytona that came all the way from Alberta! There were Darts, ‘Cudas, Challengers, Chargers, GTXs, Demons; you name it! People’s Choice went to an incredible 1970 ‘Cuda with a 528 Hemi owned by Laszlo Murguly. If you love car shows, we strongly recommend you attend next year’s event which has already been scheduled for June 21st- 23rd 2019, you won’t regret it!

<

►

>