The boats cruise in on Friday, heralding the beginning of another rendition of WAMBO.
The Wallaceburg Antique Motor and Boat Outing returns for the 36th time Aug. 9 and 10 to Wallaceburg, on the water and on the streets of the downtown and beyond.
Bill Wolsing, chair of WAMBO, said nearly everything is ready, and expects to see more boats and vehicles than last year.
“We’ve got quite a few more boats coming in this year. It seems to get better every year,” he said, adding that in the past, there were issues with delays by customs personnel for arriving Americans, and bridges not being operated.
“But it all seems to be water under the bridge,” Wolsing said.
As for the vintage vehicles that will be on display, he said organizers expect to have 200 or more vehicles on display, some of them quite unique. They include the tour bus of the rock band Journey, a bus from NASA that has transported astronauts and even presidents, and antique fire trucks.
“Brent DeNure is our new fire truck manager. He’s got them coming from as far away as Pennsylvania and New York,” Wolsing said.
On stage, the entertainment is enticing. Wallaceburg’s own Spirit of the 60s will perform Friday night. The popular youth band Leave Those Kids Alone takes to the stage Saturday afternoon, and Bayou County, a CCR tribute band, performs Saturday evening.
On top of that, there will be vendors, art on display, food galore, and more.
Wolsing said the people keep coming back to enjoy all that WAMBO has to offer.
“Diversity, I think, is the best word to use,” he said to describe what the event provides. “They like to see the boats and the cars. We have vendors and a craft show, and art in the park as well.”
He said others mark WAMBO on their calendars and come to Wallaceburg to stay in touch with friends and family.
“WAMBO is basically a reunion for people who have been gone from the area. They come down, see some old friends, and catch up,” Wolsing said.
One thing not finalized for WAMBO is the plan on how to get people from the south side of the community into the downtown.
The Stonehouse Walking Bridge is under repairs and likely will not be available for pedestrians to cross the Sydenham River by the weekend, Wolsing said.
Organizers have people mover plans in place, where two tractors can each transport wagons of 25 people at a time to and from the event.
All they need is a full complement of tractor drivers.
“We have reconditioned our people movers,” Wolsing said. “But we’re having a hard time finding tractor drivers to run them.”
He understands it is not the most exciting of jobs, but organizers are willing to pay for the driver’s time and for the gas for the tractor.
“Even if they’re students with their grandpa’s tractor, we’re also more than happy to give them volunteer hours for their high school curriculum,” he said.
Wolsing hopes the walking bridge will be open by the weekend, but is not optimistic.
“I know they’re trying diligently to have it prepared. But a lot needs to be done beforehand for the safety of the public,” he said. “We’re not really planning for it to be open, but if it is, we’re going to be pleasantly surprised.”
The chair of WAMBO added the weekend is but one of the many “fantastic events” going on across Chatham-Kent throughout the summer.
“I can appreciate the amount of effort and work these other organizers go through,” Wolsing said.
