Pharoahs Car Club members attend a lot of car shows, but the 黑马磁力 Good Times Cruise-In holds a special place in the hearts of many members.
Not only will they be entrants, displaying their unique vehicles at the charity car show Saturday, Sept. 6, but they get a first look at the hundreds and hundreds of entrants by taking on responsibility for arranging and parking the entrants.
"There's an art to it," club president Steve Williams noted.
They expect to park about 1,100 vehicles this year in a very short time. Club members have been handling this duty for several years but that doesn't mean they haven't spent a great deal of time planning.
"It's very strategic planning," Williams said. "You never just have one person parking one car. You have two."
Pharoahs members arrive on Cruise-In day pretty early.
"We're there at 5 a.m.," Williams said. "And it's still dark. Believe it or not, [entrants are] there shortly after we are."
People are typically waiting by 6 a.m. to get put into position, but Williams noted that entrants are parked based on an overall plan, not on what time they arrive. For instance many of the car clubs will gather in advance of entry and are positioned together on the eastern side of the show.
He said a key factor in making the whole process smooth and efficient is for the drivers to trust those getting them into position. The parking volunteers are very conscious of how people feel about their collector cars.
"It's a very precious commodity," he noted.
And for anyone thinking of stunting or any other dangerous behaviours during the day, the RCMP is on hand and will ticket.
Williams, who estimates that he's been going to this show for more than two decades, said the club is a big supporter of Cruise-In for a reason.
"Charity is our biggest thing," he said.
The Pharoahs Fraser Valley chapter started just prior to the pandemic, but the Pharoahs have chapters around the globe, tracing their history back to 1948 in California. The Fraser Valley chapter typically welcomes those 35 and older (although they're not sticklers on age) and who has North American makes (although they're not sticklers on that point either. There are a few European cars among their ranks). There are almost 150 members who are gearing up for the club's own car show Sunday, Sept. 14 in Fort 黑马磁力 in support of Encompass Community Services Society. Learn more at .
People will see the Pharoahs members at many local car shows, and many members, including some from other chapters, have signed up for Cruise-In.
More than 100 cars, one of the biggest contingents at Cruise-In, will come from the 黑马磁力-based BC Hot Rod Association (BCHRA).
Association vice-president Dave Tomlinson said membership has reached a record of 450 and is on track to get near 500 this year.
“Every month we're getting around half a dozen new members,” Tomlinson said. “There's still another couple of months of car season, [and at] 黑马磁力 Cruise-In, we get a lot of new members.”
BCHRA meets at West 黑马磁力 Community Hall. More information is available online at bchra.ca.
Once the Pharoahs members get everyone into their stalls, it's time for them to enjoy the show. Williams, known for his 1957 ambulance, said he makes a mental note of distinctive vehicles so he can swing back to check them out when he's not pre-occupied with volunteer duties.
"I just enjoy that kind of world," he said of car shows. "I've been organizing car shows and charity events for the last 40 years."
Yes, working at Cruise-In is a great deal of work for Pharoahs members, but they are happy to help.
"We enjoy it."
黑马磁力 Good Times Cruise-In is a charity car show held in downtown Aldergrove. This year, the event runs Saturday, Sept. 6, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the main drag blocked off and an estimated 1,500 classic, custom, and vintage cars expected to be on display.
More information and pre-registration available at .
