THUNDER BAY – Ever since they were invented, Thunder Bay has always been a car and motorcycle kind of town.
It’s no wonder the Thunder at the Bay Motorsports Extravaganza has been such a huge hit in its first two years.
Scheduled for Aug. 18 and Aug. 19, the event will line the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition property with classic cars, rat rods, motorcycles, snowmobiles and jeeps, and also features a dealer alley, food vendors, live entertainment – and new this year, a swap meet.
It’s a chance for all the car clubs to get together and showcase their prides and joys, said organizer Kevin Merkley.
“That was the intent of the Thunder at the Bay show, to get all of the groups together at the same time, at the same place, and we could all enjoy each other’s company and we can share ideas and tech tips and parts or whatever. And it has worked well,” he said.
It’s a natural fit for Thunder Bay, where weekly car shows at Canadian Tire and other locations have become a not-to-be-missed tradition.
“It’s a nostalgia thing,” he said, explaining why classic cars are so popular.
“When the public see them, they see old cars that maybe they had or maybe their grandparents had. And it’s about friends. Everybody gets together and they talk about cars. It’s all good.”
The event is also a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Thunder Bay, with a 5,000-ticket 50-50 draw helping to raise funds for the organizations. More than 75 per cent of the tickets have already been sold, with Merkley expecting the rest will be gone long before the Thunder at the Bay Motorsports Extravaganza comes to a close.
They’ve also rounded up a special guest to take part in this year’s show, adding a touch of automotive celebrity to the festivities.
“We’ve got Twiggy Tallant. She’s a TV celebrity from Vegas Rat Rods, coming up to talk about her experiences as a welder on that TV show. She also runs a body shop in Toronto, and she really wants to encourage women to get into the automotive industry,” Merkley said. “She’s really, really good.”
Admission to the event is $3 for adults and free of charge for children 12 and younger. Parking and attending the swap meet are also free.
For more information, visit the Thunder at the Bay Facebook page or www.baycitymopars.com.
