Okanagan to host competing car shows on May long weekend

The Okanagan will have not one but two car shows during the May long weekend.

Time will tell if it’s one too many or if the region can support both.

Still, the president of World of Wheels called it confusing news when the District of Peachland announced this week it’s partnering with the Peachland Chamber of Commerce to host a car show at the same time.

The announcement came on the heels of World of Wheels disclosing last month that it was moving from Peachland to nearby West Kelowna due to limited space.

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The annual show and shine, which attracts hundreds of vehicles, had just celebrated its 25th year in Peachland.

“We were told it was unsafe, there was no parking, so we’re not doing it in Peachland,” World of Wheels president Pam Cunningham told Global News. “Then our board got together and said we’re good at putting on car shows; let’s see if there’s another location.”

The new location for World of Wheels will be Kinsmen Park in West Kelowna.

“Very hurt,” Cunningham said after hearing the District of Peachland will help the Peachland Chamber of Commerce host a car show. “We would never have moved or taken the show away from Peachland.”

The mayor of Peachland, Patrick Van Minsel, told Global News that “the chamber is interested in operating a downsized family friendly event.”

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Meanwhile, WOW’s board of directors says its new venue offers plenty of parking and that the event is taking place in a park-like setting instead of vehicles crammed along Peachland’s streets.

“All of our major sponsors are still backing us, getting all the car guys to come down here on May 19,” said board member Randy Bloy, noting the car show donates $6,000 to $8,000 annually to local community groups.

Van Minsel says Peachland is offering the same logistical support as it did to WOW, and that the yet-to-be-named event isn’t a slight to the previous car show, which brought a lot of tourism to the town.

“People on Sunday (during the long weekend) can go visit our event and also go visit World of Wheels,” he said. “Make a day out of it and it can be beneficial to both.”