EVENT INDEX

Start Your Own Cruise Night

01 Sep, 2024 - 08:00 Filed in: Special Events
For those interested in proposing a Cruise Night to someone somewhere or starting your own, I have listed below a copy of what I give to those interested in starting a Cruise Night.
Necessities for doing a successful Cruise Night:
  1. Location (Visibility is EVERYTHING)  You want to attract more show cars and people from the road  or street.  Put the Show Cars up front where they are seen and protected.
  2. Parking (Enough spaces for Show Cars)  Parking for Spectator Cars are also important, but spectators will find spots if you don't have enough.
  3. Traffic Flow (Ingress and Egress) Getting in and out is vitally important.  Not only for safety issues and protection for the cars, but also for traffic flow.
  4. Police involvement:  Local authorities should be advised as to what you are doing.  Not only will they provide some added security, but they may also help with the traffic flow.
  5. Lighting:  You need this, as dusk comes upon you, cars will NOT stay long if the lighting is poor.
  6. MUSIC:  Very important as a form of entertainment.  Can be as simple as a sound system all the way to a DJ spinning the tunes.  Music selection is important too.  Keep it relative to the cars and the crowd you draw.
  7. Facilities:  You need bathrooms, whether it be in a building or outside porta-potties.
  8. Food/Beverages: Imperative.  People will leave to get some somewhere else, and most of the time, will not be back.  Keep 'em there with food and drink (Alcohol a no no.)
  9. VOLUNTEERS:  For Directing in and parking cars, helping with questions,  or helping with general crowd control, Volunteers are invaluable!  Whether employees or friends or members of local car clubs or those involved in the hobby... Just have someone there walkin' around enjoying the show, but also keepin' an eye on things.  You don't want trouble and typically it is NOT the car owners, but rather the spectators that can ruin things for everyone.  Particulary kids. (You want to keep an eye on the pets and the kids on bikes particularly)
  10. ADVERTISING & SPECIAL PROMOTIONS: This is KEY for two reasons... You want people to know about this! Word of mouth travels the best, so keep people happy and you will get people and more importantly THE CARS back.  If this is also an advertisement for your business (Many are), then promote the show well as well as yourself.  Put out coupons or specials or give something off your products (A percent) to everyone that brings a car.  They will be back if the show is good and they are treated good.  The cars are your entertainment and your advertisement if you will.  So make it work for you. Advertise as soon as possible! Set the times, Dates and even put down a theme for each night if you wish and cone or rope off an area for those vehicles.  People will bring them if they feel like there is an effort to show those specific rides. Advertise the music, food and any specials you yourself may offer.

All of this can be done relatively inexpensively and promote both the car hobby and your business.  The Car Hobby is growing by leaps and bounds and people like to drive and show their vehicles. If they generally have a great place to go and hang out, they will come.

Most importantly, give it time... For a startup cruise night, it may take a couple weeks, maybe a few more to get the cars and crowd you want.  Use patience and keep it fun and listen to suggestions of the car owners themselves.  Not all are doable or may be doable for you, but the majority are experienced "CRUISERS" and know what does and does not work!