With more and more vehicles turning up each year at the ever-expanding annual Port Coquitlam Car Show, its getting harder for event organizers to top themselves.
But Dean Washington, a PoCo city councillor and event organizer, said this year's display will offer a few new features to keep returning show-goers happy.
First, the PoCo Heritage Society is getting in on the action with an indoor vintage motorcycle display at its new facility at Leigh Square featuring some bikes that date back as far as 80 years.
There is also an expanding kids area that will feature a rock climbing wall and mini golf, and a strong man contest, which will be located behind the A&W on Shaughnessy Street.
And of course, there are the cars.
The show is expected to see more than 500 vehicles from all eras participate, including Mustang Alley, which takes place along Donald Street, tying the show together with the cars on McAllister Avenue, Shaughnessy Street and Wilson Avenue.
"It's a great show," Washington said. "We never could have imagined nine years ago that it would become the spectacle that it is today and the stature it would have in the car show circuit."
The show will take place between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18. as Port Coquitlam hosts its Homecoming Weekend as part of its centennial celebrations.
Residents past and present are invited to join in the celebrations, which will include outdoor music and family festivals with top performers, vintage train rides, free swimming and bowling.
Musical guests include Trooper, U2 cover band U4 and ABBA tribute Arrival. Beatles tribute group Atlantic Crossing will also be performing along with country rocker Whiskey Jane and HitZone.
"Homecoming Weekend is a chance for people to join us in celebrating how far Port Coquitlam has come in the past 100 years and to experience the spirit that makes us so unique," said PoCo Mayor Greg Moore. "It's our city's biggest party of the century and a weekend people won't want to miss."
For more information about this year's homecoming event, go to www.portcoquitlam.ca/100.
THE SCHEDULE
Friday, Aug. 16
Free swimming, 7 to 10 p.m. at Hyde Creek rec centre
Saturday, Aug. 17
Outdoor concert: noon to 10:15 p.m. at the PoCo rec complex featuring HitZone (noon), Atlantic Crossing (1:30 p.m.), Whiskey Jane (3:30 p.m.), Arrival (5 p.m.), U4 (7 p.m.) and Trooper (8:45 p.m.).
Family Festival: 1 to 4 p.m. at Leigh Square, featuring Bobs and LoLo (1 and 3 p.m.), Second Storey Theatre improv storytelling (1:30 p.m) and art demos, crafts, roving entertainers and face painting (2 p.m.).
CP Rail Vintage Train Rides: 90-minute rides PoCo and Port Moody but tickets are sold out.
Bowling for $1: Bowling takes place between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Port Coquitlam Bowl, with all proceeds going to Share Family and Community Services Society.
Sunday, Aug. 18
Downtown Car Show: More than 500 collectible cars, live entertainment, children's activities and vendors will converge on downtown PoCo between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
ROAD CLOSURES
Saturday, Aug. 17
Wilson Avenue from Mary Hill Road to Kingsway Avenue will be closed between 6 a.m. and midnight. Access will remain open to the recreation complex parking lots from Mary Hill Road.
Sunday Aug. 18:
The following roads will be closed between 6 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Shaughnessy Street between Elgin Avenue and Wilson Avenue;
McAllister Avenue between Mary Hill Road and the lane west of Shaughnessy Street;
Whyte Avenue from Leigh Square to the lane west of Shaughnessy Street;
Donald Street between McAllister Avenue and the McAllister Apartments parking exit (local traffic permitted from Wilson Avenue to McAllister Apartments west parking entrance);
Wilson Avenue between the west side of Donald Street to the east side of Shaughnessy Street (local traffic permitted from west side of Mary Hill Road to west side of Donald Street)
lane east of Shaughnessy Street between Wilson Avenue and City Hall;
lane north of Wilson Avenue between Donald Street to the lane east of Shaughnessy Street;
and the lane west of Mary Hill between McAllister Street to McAllister Apartments east parking exit.
Kelly Road will also be closed between 6 and 10 a.m. from Kingsway Avenue to Mary Hill Road.
