22nd Annual Heart of Jacksonville Plaza Auto Show and Third Annual Spring Cruise night

By Benjamin Cox on June 9, 2018 at 12:38pm

Car lovers will be gathering in the downtown square today and at Hardee's on Morton this afternoon and evening for a couple of vehicle appreciation events.

The twenty-second annual Heart of Jacksonville Plaza Auto Show will take place downtown today from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., where antique and classic automobiles from a three-state area will compete for nearly 50 separate trophies in different categories.

Joel Buchanan with the Jacksonville Cruise Nite Association was a recent guest on WLDS' AM Conversation program. Buchanan speaks about the legacy of the plaza car show.

"The car show is from 8-3 downtown around the square. It's a continuation of what Tom Winter and the Heart of Jacksonville hosted for twenty years. We've been doing it ourselves for two years and been hosting it in conjunction with the Spring Cruise Nite."

The Third Annual Spring Cruise Nite will be from 5-9 p.m. along Morton Avenue. Buchanan offers some details in regards to the cruise nite and his hopes for the event.

"The cruise portion itself is officially going to be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., headquartered at Hardee's on Morton, and the cruise route will extend from Main to Lincoln cross streets. Cruisers, participants, and spectators can go beyond that, but that's where we're going to concentrate police presence and volunteers, just to try and keep a safe environment."

Buchanan speaks in regards to who this fundraiser event supports in the community.

"There's no registration or cost to participate in the Cruise, or to spectate. If you want to stop at Hardee's and park, there will be some vendors there. We'll have T-shirts for sale, and all the proceeds will go to local charities such as Camp Courage and the local women's shelter. The cruise portion is always free."

A portion of the downtown square will be closed off for the car show from 8 am to 3 pm.