Holiday helps to bring out families
Parents expose their kids to a new potential passion or foster their current love of cars by attending the AutoShow
Family Day turned into a perfect day Monday at the 2019 Canadian International AutoShow as fathers and mothers brought their children to see and touch the various exhibits inside the 650,000 square feet of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and, of course, eat the various types of food.
Some families experienced the AutoShow for the first time, others were repeat visitors. Collectively, it was a chance to take advantage of the holiday and create a memory.
Art Smith came with his 5-year-old daughter, Cassidy, both experiencing the show for the first time.
“It’s been amazing — great cars, great people, lots of fun, lots of walking,” he said. “If it wasn’t for Family Day we would not be here. I would be at work. For Cassidy, it has been an eye-opening experience to see some of the cars.”
Joe and Feliciana Correia first came to the show when they were dating. They now have three children — Annabella, 8, Adriana, 6, and Anthony, 3.
The family enjoyed the day, although all the walking tuckered out Anthony.
“Anthony and his sisters really love cars,” Feliciana said. “We thought this would be a nice way for them to see a whole bunch of cars in one place.”
Joe had an interest in cars growing up and wanted to pass that along to his son. He added his daughters like the colours of the cars.
“I guess just being out and seeing all the different people and the cars, that’s what they like, and getting out of the house,” Joe said. “When I was young, there was no Family Day, so this gives an opportunity to come down as a family.”
Alex Michot toured the show with his wife, Anita, and their two children, Jordan,12, and Alexis, 41/2. They attend the AutoShow every year on Family Day.
“It’s important to us to spend time with the kids,” he said. “We’re so busy all week long, so we want to be together and enjoy the day and have fun.”
Matthew Storey and his two boys, Liam, 9, and Oliver, 8, attended the show for the third time. The boys wanted to see the Lego Bugatti and some of the classic cars that are featured in Auto Exotica.
“I had gone to the AutoShow before the kids were born,” he said. “I’m a photographer, so I used to come down to take photos of specific things I was working on for projects or I was looking at cars. The boys want to sit in every car. They like to look at everything and talk about where things are from.”
Jeff and Kelley Beach and their kids, Ava and Audrey, are regular attendees.
“I’m just trying to share my passion for cars and open it up to them,” he said. “There are a lot of opportunities for women in racing now, so I kind of aspire for them to possibly go into that one day themselves.”
Mick Liu and his 6-year-old son, Lucien, attended the AutoShow for the first time because of Family Day.
“It’s a good show for the kids,” Mick said.
Sardo Foods offered free samples of olives and Saputo offered free cocktail bocconcini cheese.