The seventh annual Friends of Coal Auto Fair is quickly approaching.

A spectacle of events will get under way next weekend at the Paul Cline Memorial Youth Complex in Beckley for what the YMCA expects to be the biggest auto fair yet.

The fair kicks off at 10 a.m. Friday with more than 600 rods, customs, classics, trucks, tuners, muscle cars and motorcycles. Admission to the fairground is $2, and children under 12 get in free.

Until 11 p.m. Friday, visitors can check out the food and specialty venders, flea market, arts and crafts, car corral, live entertainment and trade old car parts at the swap meet.

The Friends of Coal, which makes the fair possible, will offer giveaways and demonstrations about the importance of coal in West Virginia.

At 6:30 p.m. Friday, Gambill Amusements will open all carnival rides with a special unlimited rate of $15 for the evening. The carnival will stay open until the fair closes at 11 p.m.

Friday’s excitement will peak at 6:30 p.m. with the Cruise-In to Uptown Beckley for the Beckley Renaissance Car Show. Some 100 vintage vehicles will parade through Beckley’s historic district. Food, prizes and live entertainment will ensue; American Idol contestant and Beckley native Robbie Carrico will perform during this Neville Street event.

Saturday is deemed “Friends of Coal Day” in recognition of all coal miners and their families, and the entertainment starts early; the car show and fairground open at 8 a.m.

At 10 a.m., the public is welcome to attend a free mine safety competition where participants will learn how teams arrive and help in mine emergency situations.

Carnival rides will open at noon with a special Saturday price of $20 for unlimited rides, and be sure to bring your car to Burnout Alley at 1 p.m. and test your mettle and speed against tough competition.

Friends of Coal will have a special presentation at 7 p.m. with guest appearances by former WVU football coach Don Nehlen, former Marshall football coach Bob Pruett and the Golden Knights Army Parachute Team.

And who could miss the Saturday night concert featuring local favorite Taylor Made and The Charlie Daniels Band.

Jay Rist, YMCA marketing and membership director, recalls Daniels’ 2006 auto fair performance. “It was one of the best performances I have ever seen. He is excited to be back and we expect him to give a just as good, if not better, performance.”

A fireworks display at 11 p.m. will end the day.

General admission to see Charlie Daniels is $20 and children 6 and under get in free. Special reserved seats may be purchased through the YMCA for $40.

On Sunday the grounds open at 8 a.m. There will be a church service at 10:30 a.m. and the award presentation begins at noon and will wrap up this year’s fair at 2 p.m.

Rist noted how important the auto fair is to the community.

“The fair helps to fund the soccer complex, and thousands of children and family members utilize it during the year.”

The YMCA hosts a number of soccer tournaments, but it is used for more, he explained. “Many use it to walk, bike or bring their kids to the family playground,” he said. In addition to being a sports complex, Rist continued, “it is almost a community family park.”

The Friends of Coal Auto Fair has grown substantially over its seven-year history. There were only 175 cars in the first fair, Rist said; this year, they are expecting between 600 and 700.

“It takes a lot of time and effort to put something this big together,” he said, “but we expect over 50,000 people over the weekend as the fair continues to grow this year.”

For general questions regarding the fair, visit www.friendsofcoalautofair.com, e-mail marketing@beckleyymca.com or call the YMCA at 304-252-0715.

— E-mail: splummer@register-herald.com