Different name, same cruise: Blue Water Cruise Weekend starts Friday

Plenty to do this weekend in Fort Gratiot with this 3-day event

FORT GRATIOT TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Originally known as the Port Huron Cruise Night, the Blue Water Cruise Weekend hopes to give an identity to a tradition that is more than 30 years old.

The event has changed dates each year because it was attached to the Blue Water Fest and to the Port Huron to Mackinaw City Boat Race. With the cruise night being handed off to Fort Gratiot and the Fort Gratiot Business Association, changes are happening.

From now on, Blue Water Cruise Weekend will be the last weekend of June.

Wing Thiele, president of the Fort Gratiot Business Association, says the biggest challenge is spreading the word about the new name and date.

"If the attendance is the same as it was in the past, the attendance of cruisers as well as spectators is easily in tens of thousands," she says.

With Cruise Night Friday, and the Keith Peterson Memorial Car Show Saturday, there's plenty to do for cruisers and classic car fans.

But even if you're not a car nut, Thiele says, "There's plenty of free music at various businesses, great food, and even a drive in movie for the family on Saturday night. This is a family oriented event."

The Keith Peterson Memorial Car Show has been happening since 2007, when it was known as the Fort Gratiot Business Association Car Show.

The force behind it, Keith Peterson, passed away after the first car show. It's been renamed in honor of him and all proceeds this year will benefit the Community Enterprises of St. Clair County.

The organization supports and trains the intellectually and developmentally challenged while working with community members to help with work opportunities, living arrangements, and socializing.

The car show is held at the Birchwood Mall from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and there will be live music, food, beverages, raffles, and of course classic cars.

The Parade of Cars on Friday will start at the south end of Thomas Edison Parkway. Lining up starts at 4 p.m. with the parade starting at 6 p.m.

We will post more details about the parade route on our Cruise The D app under Schedule of Summer Cruises. 

After the parade, car cruisers will head north  to drive up and down M-25 from downtown Port Huron up to Keewahdin Rd. in Fort Gratiot.

If you'd like more information about the weekend of events, visit bluewatercruiseweekend.com or download the Cruise The D app.

If you're going, how about you share some pictures of these classics with the rest of us?

Use the hashtag #CruiseTheD on Instagram and Twitter & follow us at @CruiseTheD for all your latest car cruising and classic car news.

Your photos will appear on our app!

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