Lethbridge police handed out 257 traffic tickets over Street Machine Weekend and broke up crowds of as many as 2,000 people who gathered to watch drivers perform burnouts and other illegal stunts.
The Lethbridge Police Service released the figures Tuesday. The car event ran July 10-12 and is hosted by the Street Wheelers Car Club.
According to police, most of the tickets handed out were for speeding, stunting and equipment violations. Of those drivers, two were caught travelling more than 50 km/h over the posted limit.
Police said growing attendance and traffic offences, including what it described as “a blatant disregard for the rules of the road by some participants”, made extra officers and resources necessary. Alberta Sheriffs were accompanied by the Blood Tribe Police Service over the course of the weekend.
According to police, the main problems came from unofficial gatherings. The organized Controlled Cruise, held Friday evening near the cities downtown core, drew a large turnout and police say most drivers were on their best behaviour throughout the event and weekend.
On Friday night, about 600 people filled the HomeSense parking lot located on the south side of the city, where vehicles were doing burnouts and other stunts. Officers shut the gathering down on behalf of the property owner, the crowd returned the following Saturday night and did the same thing.
Just before midnight Friday, a pedestrian was hit by a vehicle. Police say the 28-year-old man was trying to jaywalk west from the median when a southbound vehicle travelling through a green light struck him. He was taken to hospital with injuries that were not life threatening.
The driver, an 18-year-old man, held a Class 7 learner’s license. Alberta’s rules say a Class 7 driver must have a fully licensed driver aged 18 or older sitting in the front passenger seat. He was ticketed for driving without one.
On Friday evening, officers also spent time at Wade Galloway Skate Park dealing with open liquor. Police said large amounts of alcohol that were being consumed in public by adults and underage people were seized and destroyed. A missing youth was also found at the park and returned home safely.
The largest gathering came Saturday night at a private parking lot in the cities south industrial area. Police estimated 2,000 people and 800 vehicles were there. Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services were called after reports of heavy smoke. One of their fire trucks became stuck in gridlock while trying to reach the scene.
Police also reported 70 warnings for open liquor, two Immediate Roadside Sanction failures (one alcohol impaired driver and one drug impaired driver), one suspended driver and seven vehicles towed. Two people were arrested as a a result. One of which faces charges of weapon possession, drug possession and breach of release conditions. The other faces theft and breach of conditions. The Public Order Unit was deployed in response nine times.
Police thank participants who followed the rules and say a review of this year’s event will look at what more may be needed for next years event.
The ticket count is down from last year. Police issued 286 tickets and 34 warnings over the July 11-13, 2025, weekend, and 154 tickets in 2024. This year’s total is 29 less tickets than 2025, even though police say attendance keeps climbing.
Ahead of the Lethbridge event, acting Sgt. Barent Goodrich of the Lethbridge Police Service Traffic Response Unit said the service was “very excited for the influx of tourism that comes to our city,” but noted that more people on the roads brings more risk.
By Brook Wagner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Jul 15, 2026 at 14:13
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