Cruise Night returns to downtown
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/06/2022 (1579 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The sound of roaring engines filled Rosser Avenue Thursday evening for the first Cruise Night in Downtown Brandon of 2022.
It was great to get the rubber on the road for the first cruise of the season, said Road Rebels president Dave Burba.
“This is awesome. Everybody is happy and smiling and ecstatic this is back on again,” Burba said.
Brandon and Area Car Enthusiasts (BACE) organizers were pleased with the turnout for the first cruise night, which saw around 200 cars, trucks and motorcycles lining up for blocks on Rosser Avenue. New to the cruise night were awards for “Best in Show,” Best Unique Vehicle” and “I barely Made it to the Show.”
It was exciting to be back in downtown Brandon, Burba said, as people could spot new cars and projects making the journey downtown for the first time.
BACE hosted one cruise night in 2021 after seeing shows stall out for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The planned first cruise night of the season on May 19 was cancelled due to rain and excessive poor weather.
It was a difficult and unusual decision to cancel a cruise, he added, as typically cruises take place come rain or shine.
“It was raining. We figured what’s the point? We might as well tell everybody just to stay home,” Burba said. “Some people will come and park in the rain, but we just decided we would just cancel.”
The shuttering marked the first time a Cruise Night in Downtown Brandon has been cancelled.
The weather cleared up just in time for the cruise night Thursday, he added, making for a great evening for car enthusiasts to explore unique rides parked on Rosser Avenue.
A key component of the evening was shifting the excitement into high gear for the upcoming Super Run car show, scheduled for July 29-31. Super Run is the largest classic car show in Western Canada rotating between Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Volunteers had registration forms and Super Run swag on hand, encouraging people to come to the largest car show in Brandon.
“There’s lots of things to do, but we have a lot of registrations,” Burba said.
The Road Rebels have a Poker Derby planned on Sunday in support of the Elspeth Reid Family Resource Centre, and a barbecue will be taking place each Cruise Night in Downtown Brandon as a fundraiser for the non-profit.
The Road Rebels typically host a Winter Social in support of Elspeth Reid and the Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School Scholarship but were unable to do so due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Poker Derby serves as an opportunity to raise funds that typically would have been generated at the social.
The Poker Derby leaves from Murray Chevrolet at 1 p.m., with stops in Souris, Oak Lake, Rivers and Grand Valley Campground before returning to Brandon for an evening barbecue. Registration begins at noon for the Poker Derby.
The next Cruise Night in Downtown Brandon takes place on July 7, and an additional cruise night will be taking place on July 28 in tandem with Super Run.
Elspeth Reid board member Joe Ball and other volunteers will be manning a barbecue tent each cruise night in support of the non-profit.
“It’s a cruise night thing. We like doing it because it’s a nice partnership and it helps people come downtown to see the cars. It’s fairly affordable … you can come down and feed a family of four for 20 bucks,” Ball said. “It’s a cheap night out and fun for everybody.”
It was great to be back downtown on a sunny night, he said, adding he appreciates the chance to dine “al fresco” for the first time in three years.
Elspeth Reid has a long-standing partnership with the Road Rebels, he said, and the continued support from the car club has been appreciated.
Along with helping raise funds for the organization, the car club also hosted a car clinic for Elspeth Reid families in 2021, sharing tips on car maintenance, including how to change a car’s oil and tires.
“They regularly fundraise through the Winter Cruise Social most Februaries, they do a show and shines and events, and they’ve really identified Elspeth Reid as a charity they want to support,” Ball said. “Come down to the car show — there’s a lot of art, a lot of design in the vehicles.”
» ckemp@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp