Classic car lovers are hitting the road in St. Albert this July, with two cruise events bringing together vehicles, spectators and charitable causes.
"We're going to have a show and shine, and then we're going to start all the engines up and go for a little spin after," said Daniel Sundahl, organizer of the inaugural RnR Cruise and a retired paramedic firefighter. "It kind of combines my love of classic cars and my passion for helping people navigate the effects of trauma."
Hosted by The Recovery and Resiliency Foundation, which is an organization that helps first responders manage trauma. The RnR Cruise takes place on July 27, beginning at Century Casino.
The event is open to cars, trucks and motorcycles and will feature a show and shine at noon, followed by a 35-kilometre cruise through Whyte Avenue and back to St. Albert. Registration opens at 10:30 a.m., and the cruise begins at 2:30 p.m.
The first 100 participants will receive a 2025 RnR Cruise Challenge Coin, a numbered collector's item that Sundahl hopes will become an annual tradition.
"I am hoping people will want to collect them and come back every year," he said. "There is such a great classic car community here in Alberta, and it is very supportive."
Sundahl explained that the money raised from this event will go towards helping people pay for therapy.
"This is our first year. We are going to give it a try, and I hope it turns into an annual fundraiser," Sundahl said.
While the RnR Cruise makes its debut, Rock'n August is continuing its well-known community cruises. The four neighbourhood routes offer residents a chance to watch classic cars roll by and serve as a warm-up to the main events in August.
Proceeds from Rock'n August support diabetes research through a partnership with the Alberta Diabetes Foundation. This year's community cruises will take place in different areas of St. Albert throughout the last two weeks of July.
With one event already underway, the next cruises will take place on July 24, 29 and 31, and they will drive through various areas of St. Albert.
Rick Dory, president of Rock'n August, said the cruises began in 2020 when other events were cancelled. The cruises were so successful that they were brought back in 2022 and have continued ever since.
"It helps with the exposure, there are quite a few people who have never heard of Rock'n August," said Dory. "Most of our spectators are kids. People throw block parties or sit in the driveway with their neighbours and just enjoy it."
Depending on the weather, he explained that the cruises usually draw around 70 vehicles.
"We've had about 70, I think, which is kind of an average number, if the weather's good and sometimes 30 something [cars]," he said. "It all depends on the car owners. They come out on their own dime."
Dory explained that the community car cruises are a great first event to let people know Rock'n August is coming.
"We try to keep the routes the same each year so people become familiar with them," Dory said. "It's a warm-up. It lets people know, 'oh, it's coming.'"
