Car shows overlapping is nothing new for us. Given the length of our car seasons and the amount that has to take place within that short window, seeing multiple events hosted on the same date is simply the norm. Sometimes this means there will be shows which we really want to attend that we unfortunately have to pass on, but sometimes it’s possible to visit more than one (typically as spectators only) in a day if the hours are long enough or don’t perfectly match up. In this case however, we found ourselves able to enter and participate in one while also being able to view a second because they not only shared a date, but a location as well!
The events in question were The Gathering, hosted by Still Plays With Cars, and the Vintage Sports Car Club’s European Classic Car Meet (ECCM). Both took place in Stanley Park on July 23rd and with a number of us registered for The Gathering, it meant we could not only hang out there with our own cars but also check out the large display of vehicles just around the corner, taking part in the ECCM.
Both events were phenomenal and it was neat to have the two very distinct varieties of cars side by side. The photos you’ll see below are from both as the title would suggest, and you’ll note that we more or less went straight to the ECCM to start photographing there (that group begins with the STO in photo number three and we return to SPWC with the red GTI) since it was the larger of the two; being a rather hot day we wanted to get the larger walk-through out of the way before coming back to our side – the more intimate show – where we could also rest by our cars and hide in the shade of the trees a bit.
It was a wonderful time with a number of familiar faces on our side, some truly impressive (and expensive) machinery on the other, and the S15 even ended up taking home a “Top Ten” award from the SPWC team which was greatly appreciated – a delicious pizza as part of the prize as well!
With that said, I hope you all enjoy the little set of photos I grabbed that day from the two events. I’d best get back to editing some more now while I have time, as next weekend will be a busy one which we also need to prep for; the Thunderbird Club’s Show & Shine is happening as well as the final edition of ill.motion’s Sunday School! Thankfully they’re different days so we can attend both, but preparing for and attending both back-to-back is no small task either.
-Bill