Summer may already be winding down, but Rocky View County and area residents can still enjoy some fun in the sun at the Crossfield Elks #416 Demolition Derby, set to take place Aug. 28 at the Crossfield Rodeo Grounds.
Crossfield Elks member and event organizer Brandt Selent said the annual demolition derby is the club’s biggest money-maker.
“The money that we raise is donated to minor sports, schools, a Crossfield Elks scholarship, and we try to give money to people who are less fortunate,” he said.
The Crossfield Elks #416 are a local non-profit group that are a part of the Elks of Canada – an organization dedicated to the benefit and welfare of others, wherever there is need for charity or public service, according to the Alberta branch’s website. Individual lodge members are a part of a Canada-wide fraternity that espouses service and friendship.
“In short – we are really people helping people,” the site reads.
A long-lasting annual tradition in Crossfield, the local demolition derby will provide an excitement-filled day. Typically, the events feature the destruction of old beat-up cars that are in just good enough shape to still run. The cars are entered into a “pit” and the drivers smash into each other until just one car is left running.
According to Selent, the day will start at 10 a.m., when the derby car gates open. The main gates open to the public at 2 p.m., with the derby starting at 3 p.m.
This year, Selent said there will be three separate heats if all goes well. A small car heat, along with a truck heat and the main show should be on the agenda, provided enough drivers register.
Selent said after the races are complete, the event will include a cabaret for attendees to let loose, featuring drinks and music.
One of the day’s highlights, according to Selent, will be a portion of the derby when a crane makes an appearance to lift one of the cars that is no longer functioning up into the sky, only to drop it onto another vehicle.
After that, an event called the mud run will take place.
Participants can also win a prize by getting involved in the derby, Selent added.
“It is a great time,” he said. “We are hoping people will come out and bring the whole family. We like getting everyone out, the kids really love it.”
Selent said the event is something he has been going to since he was young, adding he now enjoys helping put it together for other Crossfieldians to enjoy.
“It is an extra bonus that an awesome event like this gets to raise money that goes back to the community,” he said. “We want to make sure the community can prosper.”
While the Crossfield Elks were not immune to impacts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Selent said he is just happy the demolition derby can move forward this year.
“We just have had to make sure all of our bases are covered so we can hold a great event for everyone,” he said.
For interested attendees, tickets to the demolition derby can be purchased at the gate for $15. For kids aged 12 and under, entrance is free.
The event will also feature liquor sales and a selection of food trucks on-site.
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
