ESCONDIDO — Every Friday for the next five months, Grand Avenue will host the largest weekly car cruise west of the Mississippi River.
Cruisin’ Grand returned for its 24th season on May 3, attracting thousands of visitors to see the dozens of pre-1974 hot rods and other vintage vehicles on display.
“Cruisin’ Grand is honored to be called one of the best cruises in the country,” the event’s website states. “We try to keep it simple and focus only on what works with our community history, i.e., 1973 and earlier American-made classics, customs, vintage, muscle and hot rods cruising Grand Avenue, just like they did 50 to 60 years ago on a Friday night, hopefully shoulder-to-shoulder with a date!”
Started in 1999, Cruisin’ Grand brings downtown on Fridays to life between May and September, boosting local businesses as visitors fill shops and restaurants for five hours every Friday night.
Many visitors also take the opportunity to show off their own unique vehicles while cruising down Grand Avenue during the event.
This year would have been Cruisin’ Grand’s 25th anniversary. However, the event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each Friday, the car show highlights a different group of classic cars. On May 10, Cruisin’ Grand will feature early Ford models, including the Model T, Model A and early V8 models.
The last day of this season’s Cruisin’ Grand is Sept. 27. For a full schedule of events, visit www.cruisingrand.net.
