A pair of events for car enthusiasts are returning to Jacksonville in 2022.
The 26th annual Downtown Car Show and 8th annual Summer Cruise Night is this Saturday in Jacksonville. Joel Buchanan with the Morton Avenue Misfits group that hosts the event says it looks to be a great day for young and old alike.
“We have our show downtown from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. It’s open to all vehicles, all spectators, and participants. There is an entry fee for anybody who wants to compete for the awards, but obviously, it’s free for the spectators to come down. We’re going to have vendors, and food, music, and all the cool vehicles to look at.
That goes on until about three o’clock and then we will close down and set back up at Hardee’s. We will be at Hardee’s that evening from five to nine p.m. for cruising along Morton and hopefully, it will be a nice fun night.”
Buchanan says there are 20 different classes of cars that will be judged at the downtown show along with two classes for the pedal cars which debuted last year. “So you could go into some modified, or some stock or some factory muscle classes. Trucks, street rods, imports, special interest, rat rods, we’ve got a little bit for everybody.
There are awards for the top three in every class. Custom-made trophies for the first place, custom-made for the best of show, custom-made for rat rod- stuff that you’re not going to win at any other show. They are kind of one-offs for us.”
Buchanan says with weather permitting, approximately 200 to 250 cars will be lined up around the square for the show. Traffic will be closed on the north and south portions of the square, however, Mauvaistere and Sandy Streets running north and south along the square will remain open to traffic.
Buchanan says area car enthusiasts will also be able to enjoy the return of another long-standing tradition later this year. “This will be the summer event then we, of course, have the fall Cruise Night that we are bringing back and taking over which will be on Saturday, September 17th. The Cruise Night that everybody associates Jacksonville with, so that will be back in full force this fall.”
The fall Jacksonville Cruise Night was not held last year after the previous organizers were forced to retire from hosting the event. Buchanan says the September event will be held in its entirety which includes the car show in Community Park.
The downtown car show is this Saturday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, with the summer cruise night beginning at 5:00 pm.