Hot Rods show and shine in Picture Butte July 4

By Stan Ashbee
Sunny South News

Picture Butte will play host to a show and shine July 4 at the Coyote Flats Pioneer Village, located within the Prairie Tractor and Engine Museum, just 1.5 kilometres south of town.
“This is the same show the Piyami Cruisers had for 21 years and we’ve kept their date. They now have to let it go, unfortunately, but I think they’re all happy we’re able to keep the thing rolling,” said Bill Forward, a volunteer.
Forward noted the Prairie Tractor and Engine Museum has been a non-profit and all-volunteer organization for the past 35 years.
“Old buildings and stuff there — an excellent venue for a show and shine,” he added.
Registration starts at 9 a.m. Registration is $10 each with the possibility to win a door prize or award. Admission and parking is free for spectators.
“We’ve got breakfast, lunch, and ice cream available and we’re going to have some good hot rod fun,” said Forward.
Coyote Flats, Forward said, was looking for more events other than the three annual events held each year with Harvest Days being one of the events.
“They wanted to extend things a little bit more. There wasn’t much going on in June and the first part of July. They approached the Piyami Cruisers to say, hey do you guys want to move your event from the park in Picture Butte out to where we are at the museum and they said, ‘You know what, we’re not doing that this year. We’ve got to let it go.’ It just happened magically, in a way. We just said yeah, we’re looking for something. Do you mind if we pick that up and do it. They said, ‘No, that would be awesome if you guys could keep it going.’ They didn’t really want to see it die. This is good for everybody,” said Forward.
In the past, at one time, Piyami Cruisers had over 100 cars registered for the show and shine.
“There was usually around 90 vehicles that would show up,” he said, adding show and shine participants come from all over southern Alberta.
Forward admitted he’s been a hot rod buff his whole life and he owns a 1934 Ford two-door Sedan.
“It will be in there. Not in competition for anything but I’ll have it in there for sure,” said Forward, adding many residents from the county have been involved with the upcoming show and shine.