Organizers of the OBLIVION 80s and 90s Car and Culture Show want to take people on a field trip down memory lane.

And, if you happened to grow up just west of Toronto in the ’80s and ’90s, it’s possible you’ve even been on a field trip to the venue of this year’s event.

OBLIVION VI will be held Sunday, Aug. 11 at Country Heritage Park, formerly called Pioneer Village, located at 8560 Tremaine Rd. in Milton, Ont.

OBLIVION was founded by Justin Sookraj, who runs Milton-based Wells Auto, a dealership specializing in the restoration and sales of DeLorean cars (also known as the Time Machine to some).

A few years ago, Sookraj thought he could showcase his 1981 DeLorean at a local classic car meet, but he was turned away two years in a row because his 30-plus-year-old car was simply not “classic” enough (being two years too new to be eligible).

Sookraj, who was born at a time that’s considered the end of Gen X and the start of the Millenials, realized something – he realized that much of what he held dear was simply not considered special by people older nor younger than himself.

“When it was extremely unpopular to like ’80s and ’90s stuff, I always did,” he said.

He said enough is enough and set out to create his own show, one that would showcase a time special to him.

“I think it’s about time that we appreciate this car,” he said of the DeLorean, “but more importantly tell other people that their memories are valid, their cars are valid, that you’re not insane for keeping your ’80s car.”

The first show was held in August 2018 at the Milton Memorial Arena and Sookraj received a lot of positive feedback from visitors to that first event. The event grew year after year, always finding a new venue and a new theme each year. The OBLIVION team also put on showcases of cars and its retro arcade at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto in 2020 and 2023, which offered visitors a glimpse of what OBLIVION is about.

Started as a car show, OBLIVION is now a festival featuring live music, food trucks, the ever-popular arcade and more. This year’s event is also expected to showcase more than 250 vehicles.

The theme for OBLIVION VI is “field trip” and Country Heritage Park staff members will put on two of their regular field trip presentations so visitors can experience some of their old field trip memories.

As for keeping cars from the ’80s, Sookraj still has his very first car, a 1989 Acura Integra, which has 274,000 kilometres on it, and is one of now-many vintage Honda cars in his collection.

Even when he drove it in the ’90s, his angular-shaped Integra was not loved by others, but it was loved by him.

“Everybody liked the newer ones, the ’90s-plus, everybody liked the rounded ones, the easier to drive ones, but I loved this one, I loved all of its quirks, I loved its torsion bars, its solid rear axle, tininess and it’s pop-up headlights,” he said.

OBLIVION VI runs from noon to 5 p.m. Advance tickets cost $25, with various discounts available for youth and early bird buyers. Children 10 and under get in free. Prices will be slightly higher at the door. Clothing from the ’80s and ’90s is encouraged.

More information is available at oblivioncarshow.ca.