Cruise Night 2024

Hot rods, rat rods, street rods, muscle car, antiques, coupes, convertibles, sedans, trucks, motorcycles and station wagons will all be part of this year’s Cruise Night in downtown Freeport . Diverse car collectors from as many as five states will gather to display their special vehicle and gaze at everyone else’s. Cruise Night is a celebration of a less hectic time before cellphones, video games and social media.

In the 1950s and ’60s as cars became more accessible, and more powerful young people became mobile and they gathered downtown to hang out. Later in the night, the stoplights at each intersection downtown were put on a flash and so traffic didn’t have to stop and the cruising of the circuit began. In Freeport, 43years ago a group of local car enthusiasts came together and created a car club called Freeport Street Machines and they would gather downtown to display their cars and hang out.

What they didn’t know is that their efforts would create the single biggest event in Freeport attracting more than 10,000 people on one evening all to celebrate cars. Cruise Night is more than the cars though. There is live music, food and most of all it is, a gathering of family and friends.

This year’s Cruise Night is Aug. 10.

Expect to do some walking when you come down to Cruise Night and make sure you bring your camera and lawn chair for the Cruise. Cars will be on display in several lots and on city streets throughout the downtown area. Souvenir shirts will be on sale at the information booth. The event begins at 4 p.m., an hour earlier this year, with the opening of the food court so make sure you bring your appetite too. FHN is sponsoring the entertainment stage, which will feature local band from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The cruising starts at 6:00, heading down Stephenson St to Park Ave, on to Empire St. making a left on Locust, then merge to Main St. and left on Van Buren back to Stephenson St.

Greater Freeport Partnership, along with a committee of volunteers, organize the event recruiting over 70 volunteers, obtaining sponsors, applying for permits and scheduling the evening events in the yearlong planning process. For more information on the event, go to www.greaterfreeport.com or call 815-233-6301 to volunteer.