There are certainly more car shows held in and around the Langley area than a person can count on their fingers – but only one is completely dedicated to celebrating every aspect of the Chevrolet Corvette.
The 17th annual Corvette Show & Shine rolls in on Monday, Sept. 2, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Preston Chevrolet, 19990 Langley Bypass.
The B.C. Corvette Club contains the crew of car lovers responsible for the yearly event. Forming in 1965, they are the oldest Corvette-centric group in the province and have nearly 200 members.
Peter Heppner, president of Preston Chevrolet GM, said he’s been involved with the show since 2006 when it first started taking place at his dealership.
“We get up to 130 Corvettes that come from all over B.C. and the northwest United States,” Heppner said. “There are seven generations of Corvettes – with the eighth just being announced – which are all represented at the show and shine.”
Heppner said the day is definitely weather dependant, but the experts were thankfully predicting sunny skies for the Labour Day weekend. Beyond the array of sporty wheels, he added that this is a community event with community-minded people.
“A few representatives from local sports teams will be present, including the Vancouver Giants, Langley Rivermen, and from Preston GM Langley FC Soccer,” Heppner explained.
There will also be food trucks and live music on site, plus a raffle to raise funds for club’s various charities like the Langley Food Bank; a 2019 Chevy Trax is what’s up for grabs.
All ages are welcome to attend – admission is completely free. People can still enter their Corvette into show and shine as well by visiting www.bccorvetteclub.ca.
“The Corvette is considered to be the true sports car,” Heppner said about the vehicle’s continuing popularity. “When they were first manufactured 66 years ago, they were an affordable American sports car with overwhelming value for their money. In the sixties, they had this real connection to NASA and astronauts [too]. No one was more cool than an astronaut and that’s what they drove.”
Read More: Corvette enthusiasts flock to Langley for 16th annual show
The Corvette club hosts a smaller show at the Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver every Canada Day, attracting 60 to 65 cars each year. But the end of the summer show, always in Langley at Preston, is considered the biggest B.C. Corvette show and shine.
“We feel it’s a car worth celebrating,” Heppner said.
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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