CLASSIC CAR CRAZE  An aerial shot of the 2012 Columbia Valley Classics Autumn Show and Shine with over 800 vehicles registered. Event organizers hope for similar numbers or more for this years installment. File photo

CLASSIC CAR CRAZE An aerial shot of the 2012 Columbia Valley Classics Autumn Show and Shine with over 800 vehicles registered. Event organizers hope for similar numbers or more for this years installment.File photo

By Greg Amos and Nicole Trigg

Pioneer Staff

The streets and highways of the Columbia valley are about to get a whole lot classier.

The 24th annual Columbia Valley Classics Autumn Show and Shine is gearing up for a weekend full of automotive awesomeness on September 21st and 22nd.

We are encouraging locals to come out and

enjoy the event, said

Columbia Valley Classics car club president Vicki Roberts. The show is a chance for classic car collectors to display the results of their hard work, investment, pursuit for hard-to-find parts, and plain old elbow grease all the components that go into bringing a classic car back to its former glory.

The show takes place in Radium Hot Springs every third weekend in September. In 2010, the event registered 998 cars, while in previous years, up to 1,000 have been registered. This year, organizers are expecting numbers in the high 800s again and theyre hoping for even more.

Car owners can enjoy a complimentary beer while registering their vehicles at the Radium Seniors Hall on Friday, September 20th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Marty Beingessner will be playing during the registration. Another band, called 60 HZ, will be playing at the Visitor Information Centre from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. while the community market runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The next morning, things kick off with the long-running $5 pancake breakfast at the Seniors Hall from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The Show n Shine at The Springs golf course driving range gets going at 10 a.m. Those who still need to register can do so on the site by paying $20 at the driving range entrance, and all are welcome to donate an item to the Columbia Valley Food Bank at the entrance gate.There will be plenty of door prizes to be given out to registrants throughout the day of the Show n Shine day to registrants.

All afternoon a party in Radium will be raging, with Rockin on Main and Market on Main running from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Marty and Eli play at the Visitors Centre at 2:30-5:30 p.m., while Smarty Pants gets going at the centre at 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

While theres no live music at the car show itself, tunes from the 1950s and 1960s will be playing on the site throughout the day, enhancing a nostalgic mood.

At 4 p.m., an unofficial cruise to Invermere gets

underway, with the classic cars expected to arrive in town at about 4:30 p.m. RCMP will be ensuring drivers stick to the rules of the road and avoid doing burnouts.

A dance at the Invermere Curling Club, hosted by the Kinsmen Club, will cost $25 per person. It kicks off at 8 p.m. and runs until 1 a.m. Musical talent from Calgary will be provided by Metro Beat, who last played for the Show n Shine in 2009. Theyll keep the dance floor swinging with songs from the 1950s and 1960s. There will be door prizes for the best costume, so dancers are encouraged to look spiffy. There will be a free shuttle running continuously between Radium and

Invermere.

Beyond the car show itself, the valley can expect to see classic cars rolling in Invermere, Radium and surrounding areas throughout the weekend, bringing smiles and wonderful recollections to many local residents.