Canada Day in Hope is already one for the books thanks to a record-breaking 232 cars showing up for the Hope & Valley Cruisers' 17th annual car show.
"It's went great!" said Arnice Asquin, who runs the Hope & Valley Cruisers. "I can't complain. The sun was shining and there was a ton of chrome in the park. And we had an impressive number of people.
"And I'd love to thank all the participants and the spectators for coming out and making the day great."
Hope's Canada Day celebrations drew in a large crowd as hundreds gathered at both the car show and the evening festivities at the 6th Avenue Ball Park. The day started off strong with the car show which had an impressive 232 cars pulling up to Memorial Park. For five hours, over 300 people were at the park admiring the cars, taking photos, and catching up with family and friends.
Many of the vehicles were from Langley and Vancouver, and ranged from classic cars, muscle cars, and souped-up hot rods. Proceeds from the car show went towards the the Auxiliary to the Fraser Canyon Hospital.
The crowd also got the chance to enjoy live music from Hope's local LRD Band and the Farmer's Market set up near the event. Food was available to purchase on-site and visitors could choose from bannock, hot dogs, burgers, donairs, and poutine.
Once the car show ended, people continued their Canada Day later in the evening at the 6th Avenue Park. The event, which was hosted by the Fraser Valley Regional District, had between 250 to 300 people enjoying a wide array of activities. This included face painting, a bouncy castle and slide, a swing ride, carnival games, and other fun activities. A beer garden, and an axe throwing station, was also available for the adults.
Live music from the band Annika and the Earthlings also played throughout the night and people got to listen to a variety of country, rock, and indie hits.
Additionally, the Fraser-Nicola MLA Tony Luck and Chilliwack-Hope MP Mark Strahl were also at the 6th Avenue celebration handing out free cupcakes.
Just like previous years, Hope's Canada Day celebrations did not include fireworks. According to Electoral B Director Peter Adamo, the fireworks were cancelled again due to the weather, which is predicted to be hot and dry on July 1. As these weather conditions can lead to an increased wildfire risk, the show was cancelled for safety concerns.
Because of this, the Fraser Valley Regional District is currently looking into having either a drone show or a lights show next year.
