The Show N’ Shine is a place for auto enthusiasts to get together and enjoy and learn about everyone’s vehicles. (Image Courtesy of John Kent)

Show N’ Shine returns to Fernie thanks to Elk Valley Cruisers

The Elk Valley Cruisers have taken it over from the Chamber of Commerce

  • Aug. 19, 2021 12:00 a.m.

The Show N’ Shine returns for its 11th year on August 28, and everyone is encouraged to stop by to enjoy the cars and festivities.

The Elk Valley Cruisers are taking it over from the Fernie Chamber of Commerce for the first time.

For those unaware, the Show N’ Shine is a “get together” of auto enthusiasts and their cars, according to Ron Podrasky, Show N’ Shine Chair.

“They come with their rides, park, meander, get to know one another,” said Podrasky.

“We got a bunch of prizes, we’re going to have one guy singing here. Just a chance to get together and look at each other’s vehicles really.”

Podrasky said the club is hoping to have a good attendance for the event.

“We’re looking to get at least 50 vehicles here,” said Podrasky.

John Kent, Vice President of the Elk Valley Cruisers, said the club came together after the chamber approached some of the guys asking if they’d like to take over the Show N’ Shine.

“We all loosely got together and said ‘do we want to form a club’ and then everybody said yeah,” said Kent.

The entry fee for the Show N’ Shine is 25 dollars and Podrasky said there are prizes and trophies to be won, including a Best in Show trophy.

The event will be held at City Hall and Kent and Podrasky said everyone is welcome to join as its free for anyone not entering a vehicle, and they can come and enjoy live music from Herky Cutler that day as well.

Podrasky also said the event isn’t just for “classics,” as there is a range of vehicles for the event.

“There’s modern vehicles, there’s European, there’s motorbikes,” said podrasky.

“Bring what you drive. If you’re proud of it, put it in the show.”

The Elk Valley Cruisers belong to the Classic Vehicle Association of British Columbia according to Podrasky, and they have around 33 paid members.

Kent said their members aren’t just from Fernie, but from all over the valley.

“People from around the valley – Elkford, Elko and Sparwood, Jaffray, who have cars and have come to events and stuff,” said Kent.

Kent and Podrasky also said they have people register for the Show N’ Shine from as far as Lethbridge and Calgary.

Podrasky said the club has already put on events like a rally earlier this year where they had 23 cars participate.

“It was a three hour drive out towards Jaffray and back and you had to answer a bunch of questions and pick up cards if you were in the poker run,” Podrasky said.

Kent said another thing the club does is cruise the town every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month and go by the seniors homes.

“We did that last year as well and it turned out really well,” said Kent.

“That was of course peak COVID time, so that was the best way to get together.”

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