Rev up your engines.
The Metro Ford Downtown Port Coquitlam Car Show is gearing up for its 2023 edition that highlights the city’s summer calendar.
“It’s popular for sure,” said Randy Doncaster, one of the show’s organizers and a car buff himself.
The weekend event features a car cruise on Aug. 19 and a massive car show on Aug. 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Doncaster, who owns PoCo Brothers Brewing and Cat and Fiddle Pub with his brother Brad, has a 1967 Camaro, which he re-built from scratch.
Doncaster typically shows the car, his pride and joy, at the PoCo Car Show and enjoys the camaraderie of the event.
“It’s a good crowd and everyone take pride in their vehicles,” said Doncaster.
Every classic car owner has a story and Doncaster is no different.
It turns out he bought the Camaro when he was 14 for the symbolic fact that it was manufactured and came off the line the same month he was born.
Over the years, helped by his dad, he tinkered away on it, stripping it down and then building it back up to the glossy, shiny vehicle it is today.
“I stripped it to the bare frame,” said Doncaster.
“I pretty much replaced every bolt in it, modified the suspension and the brakes, did the interior. She’s an old sports car and handles like a modern sports car.”
Meanwhile, visitors to the PoCo Car Show can expect to see as many as 500 classic cars from the 1920s, and earlier, including hot rods, muscle cars and even modern specialty vehicles, with cars coming from all over B.C. and Alberta.
Doncaster said there will be lots to see and do, with food trucks, a beverage garden and a line-up of entertainment that includes:
- Noon - 1 p.m. —- Patsy Thompson (country singer/songwriter)
- 1:15 - 2:15 p.m. — Alive And Kissin (Kiss tribute band)
- 2:30 - 3:50 p.m. — Darren Lee (Elvis tribute artist)
- 4 p.m. — Awards
- 5:15 - 5:30 p.m. — Steve Sainas Trio (Blues-based classic rock)
- 6:15 - 6:30 p.m. — Reckless (Bryan Adams tribute)
For the youngsters, there will be a model car building workshop and a kids’ area.
Doncaster’s PoCo Brothers Brewing will be running the beer tent, with all proceeds donated back to the car show.
“This is an entirely self-sufficient event not supported by taxpayers,” said Doncaster, who said last year the craft beer provider contributed $17,000 to help keep the car show running.
“It depends on sponsorship,” he noted.
Metro Ford is the key sponsor of the car show while the car cruise and barbecue is presented by Fremont Self Storage.
Parking nearby, but take transit
The cars will be on display along Shaughnessy Street and side streets and the entertainment, food trucks and beverage garden will be in the area to the south of Shaughnessy Street businesses.
While there is street parking not far from the downtown, and space at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre parking lot, visitors are encouraged to take transit where possible.
Started in 2005, the Downtown Port Coquitlam Car Show is an annual event with up to 60,000 people attending.
For more information, including a map of the cruise, visit the website at www.pococarshow.ca.
