News Update

The Oil Museum of Canada is hosting its second annual Wheels and Wells Car Show on August 22. The event, which was previously cancelled in July due to wildfire smoke, will take place on the museum’s grounds, a National Historic Site and home to North America’s first commercial oil well.

The car show is open to all makes and models, and may also feature motorcycles and farm equipment. Vehicle owners can participate in the event for a donation, which will support museum programming, exhibit renewal, and collections activities. Spectators can attend the event for free.

According to Jessica Stevenson, spokesperson for Lambton County Museums and Archives, the event debuted last year with approximately 120 vehicles and 400 spectators. Stevenson stated that the museum chose to host a car show due to the connection between the oil industry and the automotive industry, saying “We are the first commercial oil well in North America, and without the oil industry, the automotive industry wouldn’t exist.”

The event will also feature oil and automotive-related artifacts from the museum’s collection, oil history trivia contests, and other attractions. The Sarnia Street Cruisers will be participating in the event, and a 50/50 draw will be held to raise additional funds for the museum.

Last year’s event raised nearly $2,000 for the museum through donations and the 50/50 draw. The museum’s annual Black Gold Fest, which features historical demonstrations, was cancelled in July due to poor air quality from wildfire smoke.

Stevenson noted that the Wheels and Wells Car Show is “another great opportunity for the community to get out and see the museum.” For more information, visit the museum’s website at oilmuseum.ca.

Article and image source: theobserver.ca