Hundreds of rare and vintage cars will soon cruise into Oak Bay Village for the 25th Collector Car Festival.
Organized by Ron Dempsey and Tony Joe, who took over the event after its founder, Ken Agate, died in 2023, the pair couldn’t be more excited about hosting.
“For us, it was a bit of a learning curve because the show historically did have more ‘50s American classics, and what we've tried to do ... is make it a show for everyone,” Dempsey said. “Our goal is to have as wide a representation of automobiles on display as possible.”
These include plenty of sports cars and off-road rigs. For example, vintage workhorses that have completed the Peking to Paris race – a 16,000-kilometre trial that starts in Beijing and ends in France – will be there for attendees to ogle. An uber-rare Mercedes will also make an appearance.
“The 300 SL Gullwing ... was a super car from the 1950s – very rare, each one valued probably over $1.5 million,” said the organizer. “They were kind of an engineering marvel at the time, that still are from a design standpoint; just a stunning piece of automotive art.”
The cars Dempsey looks forward to checking out most, however, are the ones that have taken sweat to fix up.
"It's great to see an older successful person who bought their dream car, but I'm equally or more excited to see an 18-year-old who worked at Oak Bay High in shop class to learn how to swap the engine into an old BMW," he said.
The free event will see Oak Bay Avenue, between Monterey Avenue and Mitchell Street, closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 13. Portions of Hampshire Road and Elgin Street will also be shut off to accommodate attendees.
Those interested in registering a car must pay $25 online or $30 in person the morning of the event, if space remains. Dempsey said half of the spots have sold.
Hungry attendees will find a food court in the municipal hall's parking lot. Burgers, ice cream and other treats will be available.
For more information about the gas-fuelled get-together, visit: oakbaycarshow.ca.
