Three years ago I got off an airplane, hopped in a car and somehow ended up at Rocky Mountaineer Station on the east side of Vancouver for a car show. At the time, I had no idea where I was and quite frankly, I didn’t really know what I was doing. Fast forward to present date and a lot has changed. I now live about 10 minutes away from Rocky Mountaineer Station and I drove myself to the show with no need for directions. I easily remember the location because it’s next door to the Home Depot that I spend entirely too much time at.
ImportFest describes itself as “Canada’s Biggest and Baddest Car and Lifestyle Show.” As I paid the $15 admission fee, I really began to wonder how many import car shows still exist in Canada. Then I was instantly reminded of two things as I walked through the doors of Rocky Mountaineer Station. The first was just how cool a location this is for a car show. The brick building with giant glass windows is situated next to a train and set against the backdrop of Vancouver. In a word: amazing. As a brand new addition to this city, I hope I never lose that sense of awe at just how beautiful it is.
The second thing I remembered was what life was like in the year 2004 as an import car enthusiast. As Mase’s “Feel so Good” from his Harlem World album blared on the speakers and spectators stood in line to meet import models, I couldn’t help but think that I had stepped backwards in time.
‘Maybe I’m getting to old for this,’ I thought at first. But then it occurred to me that it might be the other way around. After speaking with a few friends/attendees, the question was posed as to why audience numbers at this east coast-show-brought-out-west have dropped.
There’s no denying that formal shows have been on decline, while enthusiast-organized meets have been on the incline. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying the show scene is dead. There are still plenty of high quality shows out there that continue to evolve with the scene.
Lots of enthusiasts still thrive under the circumstances of the show setting. The show cars exist for this purpose and it’s these events that help raise the bar on their builds.
However, these days enthusiasts seem to be moving toward the more laid back enthusiast-specific meet. For the same price of gas, you could just as easily find yourself in a mall parking lot on a Thursday night surrounded by hundreds of enthusiasts and many of the cars that appeared at Importfest. Perhaps it’s the authenticity found at these meets that have the appeal that shows are lacking.
It probably seems like I’m ragging on Importfest (and maybe I am a bit). There’s no denying that ImportFest did a great job organizing this show. They also did an excellent job attracting quality cars. They even managed to bring in some cars that were new to the west coast. This Rocket Bunny GTR was one of them.
Despite all of this, what never ceases to amaze me is the commitment of enthusiasts. People will travel from all over just to show up and hang out. Nine hours of anything is a commitment, and agreeing to park your car and sit around in the sun for most of the day is dedication.
As I mentioned earlier, this show was executed flawlessly. It’s just the substance/filler of the show that could be updated. A lot has changed over the years, but one thing that has not is ImportFest. The projected image of what it means to be a car enthusiast has vastly evolved since shows like this reigned supreme. As the car scene evolves, it’s important that events like ImportFest keep their finger on the pulse.
Regardless of my criticisms, I would gladly pay the admission fee all over again. “Why?” you ask. Well, that’s what we enthusiasts do. We support things – knowing that if we don’t, they could easily go away. And that’s the last thing I want to see.