If it feels like Red Deer has entered a time warp, that’s because 1,500 classic cars have descended on the city.
Rock’n Red Deer, a weekend celebration of the cars, music and culture of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s returns to Red Deer for the weekend.
It starts with a big cruise on Ross Street in downtown Red Deer on Friday sponsored by the Red Deer downtown business association.
“It will be nuts down there,” said Stu Sheppard, Alberta SuperRun Association president. “Get down early.”
After that, the event moves over to the Westerner, 4847A 19th St., for Saturday and Sunday events.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, there will be a public viewing at the Westerner of all the cars entered into the event. Registration goes from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday. The viewing costs $10 per person and children under the age of 12 are free.
“It’s a weekend of car and automotive hobby celebration,” said Sheppard. “Lots of people come from all over — we’ve had people from as far as California, Newfoundland and Alaska come down to this show.”
Aside from cars, public viewing includes a kids area, beer gardens, vendors and a Hula Hoop contest.
After the public viewing, there will be a dinner and concert for registered participants and guests.
Sheppard compared it to a convention where friends don’t see each other for three years, but come together for this event.
The event focuses on the cars and the lifestyle of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, but Sheppard said they had opened it up to newer and older vehicles as well.
“It’s to keep the hobby going,” said Sheppard. “The older cars are getting to the point where the younger guys can’t afford them anymore. They’re getting rarer and rarer and they’re getting worth more and and more.”
Though the focus is on a specific time frame and the culture of that era, Sheppard said there will be something for everyone.
“We’ll have cars right from the early 1900s right up until now,” he said.
The show is held every three years in Red Deer while spending the intervening two years in Manitoba and Saskatchewan respectively.
mcrawford@reddeeradvocate.com
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