FORT GRATIOT, Mich. – The first annual Blue Water Cruise Weekend started a tradition this past weekend in Fort Gratiot and Port Huron as thousands lined the streets to catch a glimpse at some of the finest classic cars in the area.
The fun kicked off Friday night with the Parade of Cars & Cruise Night. While the roads were full of classic cars, the restaurants and parking lots were full of music, food, and even more sedans, coupes, hot rods, and convertibles.
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A pioneer of auto racing showed up to partake in the festivities and greet fans. Shirley "Cha Cha" Muldowney, a drag racing legend who broke gender barriers and won races in a sport dominated by men, led the parade. I had the pleasure to interview her afterwards and you'll find it on our Cruise The D app.
Saturday featured two events: the 2013 Keith Peterson Car Show & the Moran Chevrolet Sock Hop & Drive In Movie. A number of awards were handed out at the car show with Best in Show going to Harv and Gwen Kelly's 1934 Ford Coupe, Best Paint going to Chuck Smith's 1958 Chevrolet Corvette, and Best Attention to Detail going to Robert Montgomery's 1970 Chevy Nova.
"Puttin' on the Ritz" was Sunday and its focus was on antique cars from the 20s, 30s, and 40s.
Wing Thiele, owner of Independent Floor Covering and president of the Fort Gratiot Business Association, said the event was a success.
"It was a wonderful weekend and we heard a lot of positive feedback. There were a lot of fun things to see and do, whether you own a classic car or just like looking at them. This is just the beginning--we look forward to getting bigger and better every year," Thiele said.
On a personal level, I had an amazing time. Everyone was friendly, the food was good, the cars were beautiful, and I was 85 feet in the air on a fire truck bucket ladder.
For some of those pictures, and more classic cars, make sure to download the Cruise The D app in your app store. There will be more pictures added over the next few days.
Did you go to any of this weekends car events? Why not share the pictures with everyone else? Use the hashtag #CruiseTheD on Instagram or Twitter and your pictures will show up on our app!
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Sponsored by: Specs Howard School of Media Arts