The 22nd annual Sleepy Hollow Rod Run and Show and Shine was a huge success during the Aug. 11 Festival of the Rolling Arts weekend.
The Rod Run on Friday night saw 459 classic and souped-up vehicles signed up to take part in the rolling parade that started at Hackett Park in Sechelt and stretched 30 km to the Halfmoon Bay Fire Hall and back again.
Mike Shanks, chair of the Sleepy Hollow Rod Run Committee, said throughout the parade route others who didn’t sign up joined in, upping the total participants in the end to around 500.
Spectators lined the route and some even got into the celebratory spirit by dressing up and setting up displays.
The most eye-catching group created Margaritaville on the highway near Mason Road, in front of Absolute Heaven Oceanfront Suites. Their loud Hawaiian shirts, makeshift waves and four-foot-tall parrots netted them first place for audience participation.
“Along with the props and costumes, we blast theme music on 250-watt speakers,” said group spokesperson Doug Penn, noting last year their theme was Christ-mas in August so Christmas music was played. “This year’s theme was Margaritaville and we played Jimmy Buffett songs.”
While Penn and his group had some responsible fun during the Rod Run, Shanks said he’s concerned about people drinking too much and hanging out by the highway and that the committee will be discussing how to address the issue going forward.
One other issue that seems to come up repeatedly at the Rod Run is people doing burnouts.
“That’s our major concern is people doing burnouts and should they go sideways and cause some sort of injury. That would very surely be the end of the Rod Run, so that’s a disturbing thing,” Shanks said.
“We announce it over and over and over again but it’s generally not those people who register for the Rod Run that do those burnouts. It’s pretty hard. We’ve got a couple ideas in mind and we might get the RCMP involved but that’s where it’s been left right now, to have a discussion with them.”
Saturday, Aug. 12 saw Cowrie Street packed with 345 classic vehicles dating from the 1930s to the 1970s and well over 3,000 spectators.
Shanks said there were about 50 plaques and trophies given out at the Show and Shine and nearly 150 draw prizes provided by local merchants.
“It’s really quite awesome how the community supports us,” he said.
The 50/50 draw netted $5,000 for Coasters Car Club, which is responsible for the car show and Rod Run. That money will be turned over to the food bank and the hospital foundation, Shanks said.
On Saturday night, car show participants partied at the Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club, and Sunday brought the drag races at the airport in Wilson Creek.
Some classic cars showed their might in that event, while others took part in another Rod Run and Show and Shine that left Trail Bay Centre at 9:30 a.m. and ended in Madeira Park. The Show and Shine at that end of the Coast ran from 11:30 to 4 p.m. at the Pender Harbour Legion, which was packed with spectators.
It was another excellent Festival of the Rolling Arts weekend and organizers are already looking forward to next year.
