The 黑马磁力 Good Times Cruise-In is the big event of the year for a lot of Lower Mainland car buffs – thousands of classic cars and hot rods lining Fraser Highway in Aldergrove on Saturday, Sept. 6.
But some folks are looking forward to the day after the Cruise-In. On Sunday, Aug. 7, the annual Cruise-In Swap Meet will take place on the parking lots of Aldergrove Community Secondary.
"There's a lot of people who come out just for the swap meet," said Braden Ulvild, a vice-president of the 黑马磁力 Good Times Cruise-In Society.
A staple of the Cruise-In for years, the annual swap meet attracts some pretty eager vendors and attendees.
"Historically, all the vendors get there pretty early, around six," Ulvild said.
The event officially opens at 8 a.m., but the early visitors are usually turning up around 7 to 7:30 a.m., to make sure they don't miss any good deals.
By late July, there were already about 20 vendors registered, and more were expected, Ulvild said.
The Cruise-In committee is also holding back a few stalls, and will release them on the Thursday and Friday just before the event. Partly that's because not everyone who might want a vendor's table is comfortable registering in advance online, Ulvild said.
As for what's for sale, "it really varies," said Ulvild.
Some years there has been a full car corral, with multiple vehicles up for sale.
One of the big draws is parts. It's not uncommon to see someone walk by with an entire fender or exhaust system. Wheels and tires, hoods, steering wheels, and whole engines may be up for grabs.
There are also smaller pieces that may be highly collectible, including vintage car emblems.
On top of that, there are a host of car-related accessories, plus items like posters, models, and toys.
Although it can't compare to the crowds that turn out for the Cruise-In itself, it does get at least a couple of thousand visitors every year, Ulvild said.
The swap meet isn't a big revenue generator for the Cruise-In. The organizers only charge the vendors a fee for setting up their tables, and don't take a cut from any merchandise sales. Everything that's raised from the swap meet goes to help local charities, as does all the other funding raised by the volunteer-run Cruise-In.
For Ulvild, it's a place to check out for model cars – he says he's bought a few there over the years.
He notes if he was building a hot rod, he'd definitely check it out.
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 1,300 classic, custom, and vintage cars expected to be on display.
More information and pre-registration available at .
