Page Community BBQ 'Show 'n' Shine'
24 December 2022 / Words and photos: Rod Nicholas
Our final event for the year came from an unexpected invitation.
The Page Shopping Centre is one of those lovely little spots dotted around Canberra, filled with nice people running suburban shopping experiences. It’s a quirky little place, with a motley range of shops, including beauticians, a brilliant burger joint, a tavern, a plumbing service, and Canberra's friendliest craft beer oasis. As a frequent visitor to the shops for my ‘boutique beer’ experiences, I have noticed on a few occasions that there appeared to be a little fair happening. Indeed, the folks at Page have built a little community, and regularly hold BBQs with stalls, exhibits and importantly a Show 'n' Shine.
Independently, another of our fine Chapter members also pops into the shops from time to time (not, I might add, for the crafties) and had also noticed the little car shows. This member, who shall be called Frances because that’s her name, took the initiative to have a chat with the organisers. Speaking of all things MX-5, Frances soon elicited an invitation to bring our little beauties along ‘some time’.
A chat or two later, and we were invited for their last 2022 event, a Christmas BBQ.
So, here we were; a dozen MX-5s, featuring at least one example from each series, and a sea of red. We were perched invitingly in the small car park, with a monstrous Cobra beside us (huge V8 engine naked to the world), and a couple of very large Commodores nearby.
It's got a big stinking V8 - so what?
Our friends from Belconnen Mazda brought along a brand-new MX-5 roadster, dressed in Deep Crystal Blue Mica, which sparkled with a deep and exciting. Intensity.
Belconnen Mazda brought a brand new MX-5
Flanked by half a dozen giant flags, we were easy to see.
Within the little shopping square a dozen or more motorcycles - all large, dark, and noisy - gleamed in the bright sunlight.
The place was busy with various craft stalls, a sizzling BBQ (free snags and assorted tucker), a stall from Transtate Tyres, another from our local Autopro, grizzly bikers popping little kids on bikes for photos, and dozens of folks chatting away with our members. Even Santa popped in for a while!
Our folks were none too shy to bend the ear of any onlooker about why MX-5s are such fun, and consistently rated as one of the best, and most affordable sports cars in the world. We may not have made many converts, but at least we brought our little toys to the attention of a good number of Canberrans. (One fella I chatted with, who happily described himself as a bogan a fanaticising over loud V8s, seemed a little troubled when his girlfriend said she’d much prefer one of these (pointing to the nearby ND roadster) ‘sexy sportscars’.)
I see red
Visitors had the opportunity to vote for their favourite car and later in the day when everything was tallied up, our winner was Frances, who had told me she spent four hours primping and preening her Soul Crystal Red ND RF. It certainly worked – sunlight glinting from the pearlescent finish and tyres so blacked they almost disappeared. Her prize was a selection of handmade chocolates – she was delighted!
Winners are grinners
This was only a small event, and while it didn’t attract the crowds in their thousands, it was friendly and fun. All who attended enjoyed themselves, and we received a return invitation for some time in the new year.
As a great, informal, opportunity to show off our cars, I’m sure we can squeeze it into the calendar.
