Rick Stiebel/News Staff
Langford’s fascination with hot rods, race cars and tricked out custom drives goes back a long, long way.
“Langford’s always been a hotbed of racing and car enthusiasts in general,” said Matt Sahlstrom, who competed at tracks up and down Vancouver Island for years, including several decades at Western Speedway before he was elected to Langford Council in 2002. “The first race on Vancouver Island took place as soon as the second car arrived.”
“There’s a great car culture here that goes back generations,” Sahlstrom noted. “That’s part of what makes the Langford Show and Shine so special and so popular. There’s an amazing display of cars, and the pride and craftsmanship of the owners really shine through.”
Part of the appeal is that people can check out hundreds of cars within a couple of hours because of the way the pedestrian-friendly event is laid out, he added. “It still has that small-town feel and I think that’s why it draws people from across the region and all over the Island.”
The ninth annual Langford Show and Shine takes place Sun., Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. along Goldstream Avenue between Peatt Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway. The event will feature classic and muscle cars from 1975 and earlier, with a new feature this year that includes a collection of cars from the ’50s and ’60s at Veterans Memorial Park. Organizers are encouraging people to wear vintage-themed costumes and attire to add a new wrinkle to the 50s themed party planned in the park.
Award presentations in a variety of categories will take place at the Goldstream fountain at 1 p.m., and there will be dash plaques and T-shirts on sale.
Goldstream Avenue between Peatt Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway will be closed to all through traffic, as well as portions of Claude Road and Bryn Maur Road. Overnight and early morning parking on the affected roads will not be allowed the Saturday night before the event, and violators will be towed. Public parking is available at Langford City Hall at 877 Goldstream Ave. and Claude Road and Danbrook Road. Bicycles will not be allowed in the event area, and cyclists are advised to use the bike racks on sidewalks. Well-behaved dogs are permitted, but must be on a leash.
For more information or to register a vehicle, drive over to cityoflangford.ca.
rick.stiebel @goldstreamgazette.com
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