Weekend weather made to order for classic cars and the King of Rock and Roll

PENTICTON – Visitors to Penticton might have found themselves thinking about "the good old days" this weekend.

Between the Penticton Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival and the Peach City Beach Cruise with it’s classic cars, the 1950s, 60s, or 70s didn’t seem far in the past.

Hundreds of antique, classic and specialty cars and trucks graced the lawns of Rotary Park and the parking areas of  Lakeshore Drive throughout the weekend, while the strains of classic songs of the King of Rock and Roll could be heard from two venues on the Okanagan Lake waterfront Saturday afternoon, June 28.

For a change, Mother Nature cooperated to the fullest degree for the June festival, which in the past has had to deal with unpredictable June weather. That hasn’t been the case this weekend, as hot temperatures, calm winds and sunny skies have been the order of the day.

Peach City Beach Cruise Director Brian Wyatt was busy selling souvenirs from a kiosk in Gyro Park Saturday afternoon, where business looked brisk.

“It’s probably a 10 per cent increase in visitors over last year, and last year was a record year. Last night, Gyro Park was still jam packed at 11 p.m., and with the Elvis Festival going on this weekend, Penticton is rocking,” Wyatt says.

Visitors were spending the day wandering Lakeshore Drive and Rotary Park, checking out the vehicles, then drifting into Gyro Park to relax and listen to the live entertainment, Wyatt says, noting the top notch entertainment, which included Elvis tribute artist Jeff Bodner, Avalanche, Kinda Kenny, Roland Allen and the Groove-A- Matics, all performing out of the Gyro Bandshell through the weekend.

“The Board of Directors are all really pleased with the show so far this year. I couldn’t begin to estimate the millions of dollars represented in vehicles on display this year,” Wyatt says. "Everyone is enjoying this year’s weather, compared to previous years. I remember one year when an evening thunderstorm emptied Gyro Park in seconds.”

Beach Cruise Director in Charge of Entertainment, Donna Dulewich says Cassandra Friske’s performance is a big hit with Beach Cruise attendees.

“She’s been out on Lakeshore Drive doing a great Marilyn Monroe tribute. She’s absolutely amazing, everyone has been getting their photo taken with her,” Dulewich says.

The car show wraps up tomorrow.

A little further east on Lakeshore Drive, competitors in the Penticton Elvis Festival entertained in Okanagan Lake Park from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Headliner Act took place Saturday night at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, wrapping up Sunday with a Gospel Music Showcase in Okanagan Lake Park and the Tribute Artist Finals at the convention centre beginning at 2 p.m.

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To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.