There will be 500 vintage cars, trucks and motorcycles descending on 100 Mile House for this year’s Hot July Nights celebration.
That’s the number Hot July Nights chair Marty Mahovlich is expecting to reach throughout July 19 - 21 this summer. Over the last few years, he said the event has grown every year with new attendees, events and prizes. Mahovlich has already got people registering their cars for the summer’s event and expects those numbers only to grow.
“We had 411 vehicles last year and we could easily hit 500 this year. Our only limitations are the hotels. If (attendees) can’t find a place to stay then we’re pretty well capped out,” Mahovlich said. “That’s always been our vision after five years to hit 500. We didn’t think we’d hit it this quick. (If we hit) 500 that will make us one of the biggest car shows in the province.”
Hot July Nights costs around $60,000 a year to put on but Mahovlich said this cost is outweighed by the money they bring to the community in turn. On average, he said a single car owner will spend around $1,000 in 100 Mile House for their hotel, gas, food and other expenses.
That means if they reach their goal of 500 vehicles this year around $500,000 will be infused into the local economy. This is on top of the name recognition generated for 100 Mile House and the potential for attendees to come back on vacation, Mahovlich added.
Mahovlich credits Hot July Nights’ success to the philosophy that underpins it, mainly a community-focused event that introduces new elements every year. Some car shows will just stagnate over time, he observed, providing the same trophies, music and schedule for decades at a time.
“We’ve watched a lot of these older shows’ numbers dwindle. It’s the same thing every year, it’s canned music, the same food. It was good years ago, but they haven’t really added to it,” Mahovlich said. “To do what we’re doing is a ton of work and that’s probably why we’re having the success that we are.”
By contrast Hot July Nights adds new categories, events, music acts and prizes to their lineup each year. The prizes especially, Mahovlich said, help the event stick out for car enthusiasts. Everyone who registers gets entered into a raffle where they can win a grand prize of a flight of their choice to either Jackson, Mississippi, Las Vegas, Nevada or Alaska.
Mahovlich said at their first board meeting this year they welcomed several new members and discussed new ideas to implement. He noted he’s especially happy local businesses are joining the board as, while the event was started by car enthusiasts like him, their vision has always been to have local businesses and non-profits run their own pieces of the event.
This year Mahovlich said they’re adding a brand new category to the show, at the suggestion of car show sponsors MDA Fabrication and Hagerty Insurance. For the first time in the show’s history, they’re allowing logging trucks and semi-trucks over one ton to take part.
“Because we’re a logging community there’s been a lot of interest. A couple of the other car shows like Kamloops and Williams Lake do it and they get 20 to 30 trucks,” Mahovlich said. “It’s another interesting thing and gives some locals something to participate in.”
Mahovlich said they plan to put the trucks at the end of Birch Avenue in the parking lots beside 100 Mile Elementary School and the 100 Mile Courthouse. That way they’ll avoid any potential of a truck snagging an overhead wire or getting too close to a vintage car for its owner’s comfort.
Western Financial, meanwhile, is handling the activities geared toward children this year. Mahovlich said they plan to really amp them up with more prizes for the colouring contest, temporary tattoos and face painting.
“We’re trying to make this into a family thing. Traditional car shows are cars and not much else,” Mahovlich said. “We have a million things going on so there’s something for everybody.”
Over the next few months, Mahovlich said he welcomes any businesses, community groups or non-profits with ideas for the show to reach out to him. So long as the ideas don’t step on things other groups are already doing he said the show is willing to try anything. Even if the idea doesn’t get implemented this year, it can come into play next summer.
Interested parties can email cars@hotjulynights.ca or phone 250-593-4161.
Mahovlich also encourages people interested in attending the show this year with their cars to sign up now. Not only do the first 300 registrants get a goody bag of items donated by local businesses, but registering in advance helps lessen the workload for the volunteers during the weekend of the event itself.
“It’s a lot of work to register a car. Last year we had 200 cars pre-registered so all the paperwork was done when they got here and then on the weekend we had another 200 cars register in person,” Mahovlich said. “The more people we entice to pre-register the better.”
Registration can be done online via hotjulynights.ca.
