Cruise-In Draws Record Crowd

Car shows are made or broken on weather and Mother Nature has certainly been kind to the Cruise-In over the years but the spectacular weather was not the only thing that drew the crowd to Uptown Plain City. “Car people like the shows on the streets,” said participant Ervin Thomas of Columbus who brought his 1969 custom made Dually Chevy Truck. He must be right because 255 entrants paid their $10 fee to be a part of this year’s show on Main Street from Chillicothe St to Park St. Most came from the central and west-central Ohio area but one, Nick Whiteright, came over 400 miles from Berwick, PA with his 2000 Chevy Camaro SS.

For their $10 they received the opportunity to win an award and some received dash plaques and goody bags with items from local businesses. Twenty-five lucky entrants also received event t-shirts from a random drawing. Unique to the Plain City Classic Car Cruise-In, 140 entrants received a Der Dutchman cookie with a certificate for more cookies attached. Free cookies, at a cruise-in, you don’t see that anywhere else!

Throughout the day, entrants and spectators enjoyed themselves by browsing the merchandise vendors’ booths with die cast cars, t-shirts, jewelry, gifts and more. At Plain City Public Library’s horse the Friends of the Plain City Library held a book sale. Some local businesses, Miller Family Chiropractic, Plain City Historical Society and Rummell-Brill Insurance held open houses and local favorites Mainstreet Treasures and Another Time…Another Place…Consignment were open for business.

When hunger or thirst hit, the crowd had their choice of items from the local organizations; Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Friends of the Plain City Public Library and Masons. If the lines got a little too long at those booths they could try Village Coffee & Bakery and Rodger and Dar’s Plain City Pub. And the kids had a place just for them at the elementary school lawn with face painting and games provided by Darby Grace Brethren Church.

This Cruise-In offered two types of atmospheres within one event. At the east end of the street was all the action, the DJ, merchandise vendors, t-shirt and raffle tickets, food vendors and the local businesses. At the west end of the street, trees provide shade and the elementary school lawn was dotted with chairs and blankets spread out for the crowd. A flaw to some but a relief to a few; the DJ’s speakers can’t project all the way to the west end so some were able to catch a few winks.

Fifty’s music was peppered with more recent tunes by DJ Dave for the second year in a row from 10:30 a.m. until the silent auction for a one-day program to The Mid-Ohio School. Then began the drawings for the raffle items followed by the award ceremony.

Plain City Police Officer Prather presented the plaques for Top 20 and all the trophies as well which included the Best in Show to Kathy & Jim Loftus from Columbus for their 1957 Chevy Bel Air and Best Pre-1940 to Plain City’s own Jeff Eischen for his 1932 Ford Roadster Pickup. Other Plain City winners were Bill Gingerich with a Top 20 for his 1966 Chevy Nova and Ory Roberts for another Top 20 with his 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger. Mayor Sandra Adkins chose a 1934 Dodge Coupe owned by John Sparks of Hilliard as Mayor’s Choice.

Event organizers took formal and informal suggestions and continue to discuss the event to determine what would work best for next year. Improvements are already being planned and topping the list are more space for parking and more amenities for the west end of the street. Not all suggestions will be put into practice as sometimes the reality of space, time, money and workforce do not allow it but UPCO promises to work hard to make them happen.

UPCO Promotions Committee Chair, Julie Weaver, would like to thank everyone who brought their cars and everyone who came as spectators. Also thanks to the Plain City Police Department, the Pleasant Valley Fire Department, Plain City Village Council and the Village of Plain City, the Public Works Department and Mayor Sandy Adkins. Thanks to Dave Gingerich of Dave’s Computer Service for allowing us to take over his store for the day. Thanks to all our sponsors, donators and volunteers. This could not have come together without the help of everyone.

Sponsors and donators:
Bob Chapman Ford-Mercury, Carlisle Gifts, Security National Bank (formerly Citizens), Der Dutchman, Haid Dental Associates, Jan & Tony's Pizza, Miller's Furniture, Plain City Druggist, Rodger & Dar’s Plain City Pub, Plain City Senior Center, The Richwood Banking Company, Taylor Autobody, Wolfe & Sons Heating & Cooling, Another Time…Another Place…Consignment, Bliss Cash Registers, Champaign Bank, Dave’s Computer Service, Edward Jones Investments, Kernacopia, Lovejoy’s Market IGA, Main Street Treasures, The Mid-Ohio School, Miller Family Chiropractic, Pizza Villa, Plain City Chiropractor, Rex’s Marathon, Rummell-Brill Insurance, Trueperformance, Vitoria Dance, Yoder’s True Value Hardware, Schrock Automotive, Plain City Service Center

Volunteers: Jane & John Wolfe, Theresa & Rick George, Jo & Bob Miller, Chandra & Bob Reau, Ray Merrill, Colleen Koester, Shawn Kaeser, Denise & Steve English, Shannon Weigand, Robin Mink, Carolyn King, Paula Guyton, Jon MacNeal, Bob Icenhour, Tim Waibel, Jeff Heller, Mike Koehler, Scott Cottrill, Shannon Foust, Marcia Waibel, Kevin Lackey, Logan Ferguson, Dean Bollinger, Myron Beachy, James Hurt, Angie Matessa, Joe Hofbauer, Chris Long, Jason Stanford, Linda Peterson, Kerri Ferguson, Phil McCool and Michael George.