If you can’t get enough classic cars, then the Graffiti Days organizers have you covered, with a classic car cruise through Cache Creek and Ashcroft on Saturday, June 13.
“This would have been our 33rd Graffiti Days,” says Bill Elliott, chair of the Graffiti Days committee. The event traditionally takes place over the Father’s Day weekend, and this is the first time since its inception in 1988 that the event has been cancelled.
“We had big plans for this year,” says Elliott ruefully. “We were planning an outdoor dance, and another drive-in movie because last year’s was very successful even in the pouring rain. And one of the big factors was getting the drag races back at the airport.
“We had such a good turnout last year that we were anticipating another big turnout this year. People said they were coming back, and had already booked rooms. Everything was on track [for 2020] to be a good year.”
Then came COVID-19, and at the end of April the committee made the decision to cancel this year’s event. However, almost immediately they began wondering if there was something they could do to keep Graffiti Days alive in 2020.
“We started thinking of doing a cruise right after we made the decision to cancel,” says Elliott. “We didn’t want it to be too big, so we decided to limit participants to locals and committee members.
“We just wanted to do something so people would know we hadn’t gone away, that cancelling it was out of our control, and that we’re still active and can’t wait for next year.”
Elliott says they have an awesome committee behind the event, working hard each year to put the weekend together. “We get tremendous support from the Village of Cache Creek and always have. The fire department is a huge part of the committee; all of them and their wives help out. A lot of them are classic car people, so there’s a lot of overlap.
“We also get total strangers who want to help. They say ‘We might not be able to come to meetings, but put me on the list to help.’ So many people want this to carry on. It’s great for local businesses, and we need that boost. It’s one of the busiest weekends for the Cache Creek Market, and we tried to add an automotive swap meet element. And it’s a big fundraiser for the Lions and Rotary clubs as well.”
Elliott adds a huge thanks to all the businesses from Cache Creek and Ashcroft that have supported the event in many different ways. “They contribute to goodie bags for the people who take part in the Show and Shine. The first 125 cars to take part get a dash plaque and a goodie bag, and that’s always free. Normally if you go to a car show you have to pay an entry or registration fee.”
He says that the committee plans to have Graffiti Days back in 2021, but that in some ways that’s beyond their control. “We’ll take the time to re-energize, get some fresh new ideas. And new committee members are always welcome.” Anyone interested should contact Elliott at bcelliott@coppervalley.bc.ca, or call (250) 457-7056.
The cruise starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 13 at the parking lot at the Cache Creek information centre, and anyone with a pre-1979 vehicle who would like to take part should be there before 10 a.m. There is no registration necessary.
Cache Creek route
The vehicles will leave the info centre parking lot at 10 a.m. and travel along Stage Road, Cumming Boulevard, Woodburn Drive, Woodburn Court, Stanley Parke Drive, Semlin Drive, McLean Crescent, McLean Drive, Sunvalley Crescent, Parke Road, Quartz Road, then head down the Trans-Canada and across the Todd Road bridge, go along Old Cariboo Road to the vet hospital and back to the Trans-Canada at Starhouse Restaurant before heading to Ashcroft.
Ashcroft route
The vehicles will arrive in Ashcroft at approximately 10:30 a.m. and proceed across the bridge and along Highway 97C to Mesa Vista Drive. They will travel along Juniper Street, Heustis Drive, Semlin Drive, Mesa Vista Drive to Cliff Crescent and along Cliff back to Mesa Vista Drive and down to Highway 97c, crossing into downtown Ashcroft at Associated Electrical. The vehicles will turn left on Railway Avenue to Villa Fronterra, then continue back along Brink Street and over the bridge, where they will turn onto Government Street and then Tingley Street. They will continue along Tingley to Ranch Road and turn around at Desert Sands Community School, turn onto Brunswick Place and then Birch Street, travel up Government to Elm Street, turn onto Battel Street and Pine Street, then turn back onto Elm Street and continue past Thompson View Manor and Lodge and the police station before reaching Highway 97C and returning to Cache Creek.
If the vehicles will not be travelling along your street, feel free to take a lawn chair to one of the locations they will be passing so that you can take in the display.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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