Cruise-ins under way at Merchant’s Crossing
They’re back. One of the area’s hottest cruise nights got back in swing Monday evening at the Applebee’s at Merchant’s Crossing.
So get that classic car washed, cleaned and polished and head on over there for an evening of food, fun, great giveaways, and hundreds of cars on display.
The event is free to all cruisers, and if you just drive around in a Camry, spectators are welcome.
From 5 to 8 p.m. every Monday until May, join organizers Larry Day and his group of volunteers for a great family fun night out and to check out some of the best rides the area has to offer.
“We’ve been doing this for the past five years. It’s free, you can park where you want to park, and we don’t play music so people can walk around and talk,” Day said. “We’re not a club. We’re just a bunch of volunteers. We make sure the money goes back to those who participate.”
The first night was expected to feature some door prizes and a 50/50 raffle, where there are two winners who split the entire pot.
There are a limited number of vendors and the door prizes are donated, with volunteers asking the auto supply stores or shops for donations.
Day said he expected between 75 and 100 classic cars on opening night, as the questionable weather and the lack of snowbirds tends to keep attendance down.
Once season starts, Day said as many as 400 classic cars fill the parking lot at Merchant Crossing, with the average being between 250 and 300.
“Folks bring what they want to bring. It’s an open cruise. It’s open to classic cars, street rods, hot rods, rat rods, pickup trucks, Corvettes, Mustangs, you name it,” Day said. “No judging, no awards. Just a good time.”
Seldom do entire car clubs come, as the organizers have no club affiliation. But they do get people from as far north as Port Charlotte, Clewiston to the east and Naples to the south.
All who show up can get a discount card for 15 percent off your bill at Applebee’s on Monday night only, Day said.
“They’re great because their location is super. The entrance to the restroom is on the north side near the cruise-in so it doesn’t disturb the patrons,” Day said. “We do it because we enjoy it
Merchant’s Crossing is at the corner of U.S. 41 and Pine Island Road in North Fort Myers.