Hot Rods Northwest Deuce Days

Just saw a short blurb that the organizers of the exceptional Northwest Deuce Days have permanently pulled the plug. I'll post more when I see the full story...

This is super disappointing to me as it was the motivation to get my 5W done for 2022. BUGGER!!!!

 

Well the story goes that Al Clark, the organizer, mentioned that he was burnt out and that he never made a penny while others did. Two years prep time per event is a lot of volunteer hours by all those concerned.

This has been rumoured for at least the last two events but I'm hoping that the local business association and/or the local tourism organization will pick it up since it brought in a heck of a lot of money to the Victoria region. However, perhaps the name has been trademarked or copyrighted.

Visitors from all over Canada, the US, Australia, and I think I saw a Scanadanavian plate once or twice. This was a special event as it was held every three years and one of the best in North America.

This really is bad news but I live in hope a resurrection will happen...

 

Political overtones, bike lanes and closing streets to traffic et al. Al and his band of volunteers did a great job for 21yrs, I attended in 2016 & 2019 and was planning on attending again in 2022. A great event with a vibe and atmosphere, good people and lots of eye candy. Local tourism and businesses will suffer significantly, it will be sadly missed!
This NZ entrant brought his [RHD] car over in 2019, that's commitment!

 

The thread I posted yesterday on this mysteriously disappeared. I suspect because it took an almost immediate left turn over what could be construed as political issues. Let's hope this one stays on track.

We've been to this wonderful event (in a car from the UK, but temporarily residing in Ca) twice and whilst we're no longer in a position to go again would have recommended it to anyone /everyone.

Shame its no longer going to happen. Sad.

Chris

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Hello,

We hope this is not true. There is not a better place to have such an attractive destination for all hot rods. Not only is the city of Victoria A COOL ROADSIDE ATTRACTION, but for us, it was home for a long vacation during our traveling road trip days. The idea of coming to Los Angeles for the GNRS is nothing compared to arriving on a cool ferry over some of the most beautiful water/island views, anywhere, let alone the other travelers being hot rods. The major roads and ferry terminals are all over the Pacific Northwest San Juan Islands and that is a good place to start.

The whole area gets tons of rain annually, so everything is relatively green and clear skies make is such a beautiful destination. The whole peninsula coastline from Sidney, B.C. down to the southwest end is one beautiful place. It would be a nice destination for anyone wanting a beautiful coastline/forested road trip any time of the year. We were there in the summer and the traffic was relative empty compared to other parts of the whole Pacific Northwest area.

Our ferry ride was very nice as we had not been on a ferry since those early So Cal, Terminal Island trips from San Pedro and back prior to the giant green bridge being completed. This area of the San Juan Islands provides plenty of destinations and exit ferry terminals. We were initially on the Antacortes to Orcas to San Juan Island and finally to Sidney, B.C. On the return trip, we took the different ferry to Vancouver and came back into the USA in Washington.

Empress Hotel

The main draw is the magnificent hotel located right on the main harbor. It stands out majestically and draws visitors from all over the world. Walking through the lobby, conversations were in all different languages. But the view from the harbor and even during sunsets, the view from the front of the Empress Hotel is worth the effort to get to Victoria, B.C.

During our non hot rod vacation, we came back to the harbor plenty of times just to absorb the atmosphere. Our old sailboat would look right at home in that harbor and the surrounding waters aren’t that bad as far as the drastic currents in the whole Canadian islands and Northwest bay area surrounding the San Juan Islands.

Jnaki

It would be one other place we would consider living. Although, we would have to get a giant power boat for all adventures. The currents are not conducive to great sailing that we So Cal residents are used to in our own waters. The idea of a nice sail on smooth waters with the view surrounding your sailboat is enticing, but the constant battling the strong currents and making little to no headway in a certain direction is a little daunting.

Our only black mark on this vacation trip was that the immigration check point, although Canada/USA is relatively free access most of the time. It was so hectic that it was impossible to say anything nice about the customs people. Perhaps, it was the time of the year and their bosses had to make a point of checking every vehicle coming back into the USA.

We actually had to get out in a side office building and present our passports and legal papers we carried on our cross border trips. We were the only people in the office being questioned. What, me? It was a measly vehicle registration problem that they had not encountered before, so stop those bad people from So Cal and search the vehicle.

 

First phone call I made in 2012, after I bought my Deuce was to my rodder friend, Clarke, in NC. He was always planning the next trip to NWDD. I was on his tour list.
People at the 2013 event asked, "how did you get here?".
My response, "four hundred miles per day for five days."
Many stories and memories.
Sorry to hear it is done, but I know it was a LOT if work for Al.

 

While it is a random check , You are not alone in that feeling. I am just south of the B.C. border and a frequent visitor. I have literally been behind a 71 Winnabago motor home with BC plates and that looked like a former Cheech and Chong tour bus in the 70's before and watched the border patrol officer open the side door, peek inside for about 10 seconds , and wave them through. I pulled up in my Ford Ranger with my friend and 2 small suitcases laying in the back of it from going on an Alaska cruise. The same BP officer literally opened and scattered both suitcases in the back of my truck , did the 3rd degree on why we were in Canada. About 5 minutes later we were waved through and had to pull over and repack our suitcases. This was US border entry I might add. I have to admit though , 95% of the time there are no issues crossing either way

 

I was hoping to make it to the next one and will continue working on the car in any case.

 

I too, am saddened with this news; I attended as a spectator for a number of years and tried hard to get my Deuce ready for 2016. I didn’t make it but I did participate in 2019 with about 5 minutes to spare! And one of the last things I remember before heading home was getting to meet you!

 

I totally agree with you about what a beautiful place it is, and I'm a Washington native, so I know wet and lush!
My wife and I stayed at the Empress a few years ago, and one morning I stepped outside to have a smoke. Looked up at just the right time to see the Naked Bicycle Ride roll past. Some things cannot be unseen!
I would live there in a heartbeat if I won the lottery. I LOVE BC (and its people)!

 

Everyone who's ever attended loved it. I missed the first one but got to the second one in Chilliwack, BC. Missed the third and then got to all the others. Reading these comments I'm REALLY hoping my wish comes through. On the other hand, if no organization picks it up perhaps some of us could have a pseudo DD and just show up on a designated week or weekend and just go for cruises without all the official activities. I would think that city council would accommodate the show and shine as their media release indicated such.

 

Yeah, I watched the clip on the morning news, sad.....but I understand. I put on a small local show, the hours you put in, the criticism from know it alls, the well meaning suggestions from folks who have no intention of helping, make it a challenging thing to pull off. Just 50/50 ticket sales, I use two well built girls to sell, but get tons of flack for being sexist, fact is, two girls sell three times the tickets two men do, and the money goes to a local charity. That makes me a pig......
Hopefully somebody will pick it up.

 

TRENDING STORI

The show was hosted by Al Clark, who had turned his passion into a successful business, creating sought-after hot rods in his Fairfield garage since 1966.
He announced the event’s cancellation on social media and spent all day Wednesday on the phone explaining why.
“I wanted to go out on a high note. Although it was successful, organizing it was a lot of work. It takes a team of us two years of planning and six months of full-time work just before the date,” said Clark, 75. “It could very well be the city’s largest spectator gathering — and everything is free.”
He said that he plans to use his newly free time to finally do some golfing and spend more time with his wife, Judy.
The event, which started with a handful of cars at Gorge Kinsman Park in 1998, became the granddaddy of car shows on Vancouver Island, moving to Oak Bay Village in 2001 before settling at the Inner Harbour in 2004.
In 2019, the last year the event was held, almost 1,400 colourful modified classics — all built before 1951 — travelled to Victoria from across Canada and the United States, with one even coming from New Zealand.
The event drew crowds of upwards of 100,000 spectators, many of them out-of-town visitors.
Apart from the main event, there were various show ’n’ shines, processions, exhibits and other events associated with the show, which filled up hotel rooms, restaurants and tourist attractions.
Reid James, general manager of the Hotel Grand Pacific, said while saddened by the news, the hotel was grateful for the opportunity to have hosted the event four times, starting in 2010. “Our destination did very well, with half of the hotel booked by participants. The economic impact for us was well in the six figures.”
He said news of the event’s demise didn’t come as a complete surprise, since Clark had declared the event over after 2016, but later changed his mind and held Deuce Days in 2019. “But it does take a lot of work and all of it is volunteer labour,” said James.
The blow of losing a major event such as Northwest Deuce Days will be tempered by the fact there are many other things to see and do in the city, said Paul Nursey, chief executive of Destination Greater Victoria.
“We had a great run. We are grateful for having had the opportunity to host the event in the region,” said Nursey.
Although in his Facebook post, Clark mentions bike lanes as one of the reasons he decided to pull the plug, he said he was just “having a dig” at the city. “We had an issue around the city erecting a bicycle rack the night before the event and the threat of having a participant’s car towed,” said Clark. “I am sure that it wasn’t anything that we couldn’t have solved, as we have worked well with them in the past.”
The City of Victoria issued a statement saying that had it received a permit request for the next event, it would have “worked with the applicant to manage any and all traffic impacts just like in previous years.”
Others have expressed interest in hosting the event and Clark said he wishes them well.
He said he has received calls from California-based participants who indicated they were still planning to come to Victoria the third week of July 2022, when the next Deuce Days would have taken place.
“I told them to come on up, event or not,” said Clark. “If they do, I might actually be able to join in and have fun myself.”
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The show was hosted by Al Clark, who had turned his passion into a successful business, creating sought-after hot rods in his Fairfield garage since 1966.

He announced the event’s cancellation on social media and spent all day Wednesday on the phone explaining why.


“I wanted to go out on a high note. Although it was successful, organizing it was a lot of work. It takes a team of us two years of planning and six months of full-time work just before the date,” said Clark, 75. “It could very well be the city’s largest spectator gathering — and everything is free.”

He said that he plans to use his newly free time to finally do some golfing and spend more time with his wife, Judy.

The event, which started with a handful of cars at Gorge Kinsman Park in 1998, became the granddaddy of car shows on Vancouver Island, moving to Oak Bay Village in 2001 before settling at the Inner Harbour in 2004.

In 2019, the last year the event was held, almost 1,400 colourful modified classics — all built before 1951 — travelled to Victoria from across Canada and the United States, with one even coming from New Zealand.

The event drew crowds of upwards of 100,000 spectators, many of them out-of-town visitors.

Apart from the main event, there were various show ’n’ shines, processions, exhibits and other events associated with the show, which filled up hotel rooms, restaurants and tourist attractions.

Reid James, general manager of the Hotel Grand Pacific, said while saddened by the news, the hotel was grateful for the opportunity to have hosted the event four times, starting in 2010. “Our destination did very well, with half of the hotel booked by participants. The economic impact for us was well in the six figures.”

He said news of the event’s demise didn’t come as a complete surprise, since Clark had declared the event over after 2016, but later changed his mind and held Deuce Days in 2019. “But it does take a lot of work and all of it is volunteer labour,” said James.

The blow of losing a major event such as Northwest Deuce Days will be tempered by the fact there are many other things to see and do in the city, said Paul Nursey, chief executive of Destination Greater Victoria.

“We had a great run. We are grateful for having had the opportunity to host the event in the region,” said Nursey.

Although in his Facebook post, Clark mentions bike lanes as one of the reasons he decided to pull the plug, he said he was just “having a dig” at the city. “We had an issue around the city erecting a bicycle rack the night before the event and the threat of having a participant’s car towed,” said Clark. “I am sure that it wasn’t anything that we couldn’t have solved, as we have worked well with them in the past.”

The City of Victoria issued a statement saying that had it received a permit request for the next event, it would have “worked with the applicant to manage any and all traffic impacts just like in previous years.”

Others have expressed interest in hosting the event and Clark said he wishes them well.

He said he has received calls from California-based participants who indicated they were still planning to come to Victoria the third week of July 2022, when the next Deuce Days would have taken place.

“I told them to come on up, event or not,” said Clark. “If they do, I might actually be able to join in and have fun myself.”

 

I had a '37 Ford at the time.

 

Sad to hear that this event has come to an end. I always had a great time when visiting Victoria B.C.
Slightly OT, but here is a little salute to beautiful British Columbia.

 

Well hopefully it hasn't come to an end if another group picks it up. I may just go anyway and spend a few days cruising Victoria...I don't need a lot of the extra stuff I just loved the ambience of all the cars on the street cruising or parked!

 

Sad news indeed. The comments about Victoria are so true - it really is a wonderful place. Those of us who live here and get to appreciate the great features all year round are so fortunate. And to top it off, there is a very strong collector car and hot rod culture here. Hope our friends from the US and other places around the world can still make the trek here to enjoy the sights and cars.

 

I met Clark (Olrodder, RIP) in 2016, a long way from North Carolina to Victoria in a 32.

 

Clarke was a great friend that I miss a lot. Thanks for the photo of his rod. I cruised with him, visited his home, but never really took a photo of the 32.

 

When I registered in 2019 and then when I went back to buy some goodies Al Clark was sitting in a chair talking with folks but looked pretty tired. He pretty well got talked into it last time and with the scope of the event it does indeed take a full two years of planning, meeting with the powers that be, meeting with the hotel folks and everything else involved. I took something like 2500 photos that week and walked until I wore myself out. My wife has been talking about going back again as she fell in love with the town and area.
It would be nice if someone did step up and do it but That takes someone with not only some serous car folk savvy but someone willing and able to do the moving and shaking and who is up to the task.

 

Well as I mentioned earlier I'm going to try and get my 5W done in time for 2022 and then go over to the island. I don't golf and I don't need a banquet so perhaps those who are interested could do an impromptu "Salute to Deuce Days" mini tour. I'm sure we could get info from the Victoria area car clubs for possible tour routes and perhaps shops or collections to visit.

The VERY best car show and environment I've ever been to bar none!

 

I like the idea of an impromptu show up. Guess we would have to be careful not to park in bicycle lanes. I had heard there was a discussion about another nearby city for the event in the past when things weren’t going well with the government. I can’t remember the name of the town.


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One of the best areas where the cars gathered last time, "Clover Point" which is a point of land jutting into the ocean, is all dug up with the plan of discouraging cars parking or gathering there.

 

Events like this are ageing themselves out. The organisers don't do enough to bring younger people into the fold and they get to a point, like this, where everyone involved in running the event are too old to carry on and there is no one coming up behind them to take over. I read an interview where Al said all the volunteers were getting too old to continue. That makes it difficult for someone to easily take over. Sometimes it might be intentional so the name you have built up doesn't get sullied by people taking over but sometimes I am sure it is a lack of forethought.

 

So now it appears that it is AL’s fault.... ? each time I have attended there have been volunteers of all ages. Al started the show with a very close friend that unfortunately passed away too young. His widow, son , and daughter in law all continued to work the show and make it the success it was


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Nobody is blaming Al as far as I'm concerned. The event was a huge amount of work and Al is simply tired of doing it and with all the various aspects. He deserves to take a break! However, it is a testament to all of his, and his volunteers, exceptional work that so many people are disappointed and wish it would continue. So as I mentioned perhaps an impromptu event could be staged. The parking considerations for a one or three day influx of tourists should be able to be overcome...

 

Putting on an event like this is more work than we can imagine. Something that starts out as a labor of love turns out to be a burden as time passes and the event grows. The main problem is dealing with people and trying to satisfy everyone. With an event like this, the city wants a neat, orderly show-and-tell that doesn't impact other tourists (parking spaces, traffic flow, etc) but brings in oodles of cash to the tax coffers. Businesses want more foot traffic to visit their businesses and puff up their coffers, cops want issue-free gatherings, bicyclists want their bike lanes kept clear, entrants and visitors want security and easy access, yada, yada, yada.
You've got one point guy (Al) trying to juggle all these balls and keep everyone happy. That's a lot of bases to cover and takes special skills and contacts, something developed over years of working with all parties. It takes a mountain of work! Unless the organizer makes his living this way (thing G*&d G@#s), the labor soon outweighs the love. No wonder Al is tired!
It's too bad it has to end, but totally understandable, and we should all be thankful that Al devoted so much time and effort to it over the years.
Thanks AL! Take a well-deserved break!

 

I live in hope! As far as the bike lanes the riders have about a year and a half to save up for two more wheels....

 

Borders need to first open, non hot rodders / car enthusiasts arranging this type of event should be interesting.
https://www.peninsulanewsreview.com...-of-langford-version-of-northwest-deuce-days/