Hundreds of classic cars will flood Morton Avenue tonight as part of the 32nd annual Jacksonville Cruise Nite.
Joel Buchanon and Don Meyer with the Jacksonville Cruise Nite Association were on WLDS’ “What’s On Your Mind?” where they talked about today’s events, starting with the car show.
“It’s open to any and all makes and models of vehicles. It is free to enter, so we’re one of the only events still in the area that is completely free to either spectate or participate in. We have door prizes we’ll give away for about the first 100 entries. We have several different food vendors coming to set up, we have a lot of children’s games and activities. It is a good time, it’s a unique event for the community and it’s been going on for 32 years,” says Buchanon.
Buchanon notes that Cruise Nite brings in both local cars and classics from around the Midwest.
“A lot of them are from this local area but we’ve been receiving calls for the last couple weeks of people checking in, they’re very anxiously looking forward to it. They’ve been coming for all 32 years for some of them. We’re honored that it means that much and they enjoy it that much and they keep coming, so yeah, we draw from Missouri, Iowa, Indiana, all over Illinois,” Buchanon explains.
Both Buchanon and Meyer have developed friendships through their passion for cars.
“I thoroughly enjoy going to car shows. I’m naturally a quiet, reserved person. I would, in any other scenario, not go up and talk to anyone, but at a car show, car cruise event, I’ll walk up to anybody and you already know you have some sort of common interest … just a unique camaraderie amongst the car people,” says Buchanon.
The annual car show kicks off at 9 am and continues until 3 pm at Community Park. All makes, models and genres are welcome.
The cruise itself will take place between 5 and 9 p.m. on Morton Avenue, between Main Street and Lincoln Avenue.
Be sure to tune into our coverage of Jacksonville Cruise Nite on WEAI 107.1 FM.