One of Penticton’s busiest weekends of the year is upon us — the 18th annual Peach City Beach Cruise is underway.

More than 850 cars of all shapes, new and old, from across the continent are in the city for the biggest car show in Western Canada.

“It’s finally here, it’s started. The cars are rolling in, in huge numbers and you can feel the excitement in the air,” said event president Wayne Wood, Friday afternoon in front of the Peach.

Many show participants spent Friday attending local wineries or taking part in a number of cruises, prior to the parade of show cars Friday evening down Main Street at 5:30 p.m.

Saturday will feature the main event.

“The full on classic show, all the way from the Lakeside to the Sicamous, in Rotary Park, Lackawanna Park… it’s going to be one exciting time,” Wood said.

Cars and spectators are making the trip to Penticton — in what has become an annual pilgrimage for some — from all over North America.

“I was told today, because of the TV show last year, we had four people fly in from Mississippi, no car but they flew in, to see the show,” Wood said, grinning.

This year’s 850-plus cars makes it the biggest show ever.

John Kehoe has been making the annual trip from Camrose, Alta. for six years now.

“Just the layout of the whole thing, and the lovely cars that are here, it’s unbelievable,” Kehoe said, explaining this year he is debuting his own car for the first time, after 8.5 years of work on it.

“It’s the maiden unveiling, I hope it doesn’t hail,” he laughed.

The forecast calls for sun and 30 degrees Saturday in Penticton, so pack that sunscreen.