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First Cruise Night of the year starts Saturday, June 12 at 6 p.m.

By Josh Bootsma

LANSING, Ill. (June 8, 2021) – Lansing Cruise Night will return this year after the pandemic stifled the summer staple in 2020. Scheduled for Saturday, June 12, organizers are hoping the usually-popular event will give car owners and interested spectators alike a chance to return to normalcy.

A tradition that dates back many years, Cruise Nights in Lansing are organized by L.A.C.E. (Lansing Association for Community Events) and occur on the second Saturday of June, July, and August, with a fourth Cruise Night scheduled for September 11 at Phillips Chevrolet in Lansing. The events start at 6 p.m. and end at 9:30 p.m.

Cruise Night
The sun sets on Cruise Night 2017. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)

Kid judges

A fun variation for Saturday’s Cruise Night is including kids in more of the action. Parents had an opportunity to sign their children up to judge the cars that will be part of Saturday’s event.

“We’re going to let the kids wander down with supervision to take a look out there, look at the cars, and see what strikes their fancy,” said Mike Gaffney, L.A.C.E. Vice President and chairman of the Cruise Night committee. “It’s going to do a couple things: It’s going to make the event more family friendly because the kids have more things to do, and hopefully it will give them an experience that’s so enjoyable that as they grow, they’ll want to share it with their family … and help keep this little tradition alive.”

Planning for simple

As L.A.C.E. planned for Cruise Nights earlier this year, there were still many unknowns regarding how the pandemic would be affecting the world this summer. As such, the organizers went with a simple approach.

“We wanted to keep it kind of low-key and very simple and just bring the cars out there, bring the families out there and just see where it goes from there,” Gaffney said, adding that Cruise Nights have been a tradition in Lansing for over 25 years.

Many businesses along Ridge Road will be open for Cruise Nights this season, and spectators and drivers alike are encouraged to patronize them.

“Last year was very difficult for everybody in all walks of life. We enjoy putting on these events because they’re family-friendly events that everybody can come out and take part in. And it’s just another way that our community comes together,” Gaffney said.

Cruise night dates and times

Cruise nights this summer will occur on June 12, July 10, and August 14. Each one runs 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. on Ridge Road. An additional Cruise Night is planned for September 11 at Phillips Chevrolet. Cruise Nights are sponsored by Phillips Chevrolet and Hagerty Classic Car Insurance.

More information about L.A.C.E. can be found at www.lansinglace.com

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Josh Bootsma
Josh Bootsma
Josh is Managing Editor at The Lansing Journal and believes in the power and purpose of community news. He covers any local topics—from village government to theatre, from business openings to migratory birds.