11 Jul Glendale News-Press: More than 350 Classic Vehicles Will Line 7 Blocks Along Brand Boulevard Saturday
By Jeff Landa
For the 24th year, classic cars and their admirers will fill seven blocks of Brand Boulevard for the annual Cruise Night on Saturday.
More than 350 “classic” cars, those manufactured before 1980, will be on display along Brand Boulevard between Broadway and Doran Street. First introduced last year, classic motorcycles will again join their automobile counterparts as part of the event.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasts for motorcycles as well as classic cars, so we are trying to attract those fans as well,” said Patty Betancourt, a community service specialist for the city of Glendale and one of the event’s coordinators.
One of the city’s longest traditions, Cruise Night is hosted by the city and is a joint effort by the city’s Economic Development Department and the Downtown Glendale Assn.
Betancourt said planning for the large-scale event began in October, mainly in order to secure permits and ensure safety with the Glendale police and fire departments.
“This is a great way to bring people to the heart of Glendale,” Betancourt said. “There’s so much going on, and we want to invite people to Glendale and let them know that they’re safe.”
Betancourt said the number of Cruise Night attendees has grown year over year, and expects between 40,000 and 45,000 people to descend on downtown Saturday.
The event is for the fifth time fully sponsored by corporate and community donations. Attendees will be able to visit various booths that will be set up alongside the classic vehicles on both sides of Brand.
While there’s no competition for any of the cars, city officials will present trophies to a number of classic vehicles based on individual preference but not on formal judging.
Cruise Night will also feature tribute bands for Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jimmy Buffett and Rod Stewart as part of the live entertainment throughout the night.
The free event will start at 5:30 p.m. and will close with a fireworks show at 10:30 p.m. on the main stage.
For more information, visit glendaleca.gov.
Source: Glendale News-Press