LOGAN – Starting this week, automobile enthusiasts will be in Logan for 44th year of the Cache Valley Cruise-In. It is, for many, the highlight of the Fourth of July weekend. Nearly 1,000 spruced-up automobiles are expected to bring some 35,000 people to the Cache County Fairgrounds.
It continues to grow every year, said Rick Morris, president of the Cache County Cruise-In Association.
This is his second go around as president of the organization that has shown cars for almost a half a century, and it continues to grow.
“This year we have cars coming from all over the United States,” he said. “We have a Monte Carlo Club coming and cars come from as far away as California and Maine.”
There are a lot of cars coming from Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona and Nevada for a solid regional flare.
“We just want to keep the love of cars alive,” Morris said. “We like to get people to meet and come together so the history of these cars can live on.”
The Logan resident is proud of the 1974 Ford Mustang he restored.
“My Mustang is the first car I restored by myself,” he said. “I’ve been a classic car buff for the last 14 years. My interest started with my dad taking me to car shows when I was a kid.”
This year Cache County Cruise-In has up to 45 sponsors and they expect to exceed 30,000 people to attend activities during the week. This year they will be giving away a 1965 Shelby Cobra replica.
“This the first kit car we’ve given away,” Morris said. “If it was an original it would be sold for a million or two at auction. A kit like this on sells for 80 to 90,000 complete.”
The Cruise-In was organized in 1982 as Logan’s Run then years later, in 1991, they became a nonprofit governed by a set of bylaws that provide for a club president and board of directors.
Their membership has a strong commitment to hosting high-quality car shows for participants, spectators, and event sponsors.
Thursday July 2, the public is invited to the Cache County Fairgrounds to see the cars from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. with a swap meet, commercial booths and a food court.
There is a Poker Run in Cache Valley at 10 a.m.
There is also a concert featuring Cooper Alan and Ingrid Andress from 7:30 p.m. until 10 p.m.
On Friday, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., some participants will cruise from Logan to Bear Lake, a scenic 40-mile drive through the canyon and the chance to eat in Garden City.
There will be a swap meet, commercial booths and a food court from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. A sock hop is planned for 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
On Saturday, July 4, is when most of the awards will be given and the car giveaway will take place.
From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. the Top Rod of Utah Awards will be handed out.
The Swap Meet, Commercial Booths and Food Courts will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
The Awards Ceremony will be held in the rodeo arena at 5 p.m. and the drawing for giveaway car takes place at 6 p.m.
From 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. the Main Street Cruising Parade will take place as the final piece of the three-day car festival up and down Logan’s Main Street.