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lockportlegend.com life & Arts
the Lockport Legend | June 14, 2018 | 17
Cruisin’ Into Lockport signals summer’s arrival
Laurie Fanelli
Freelance Reporter
Nothing says summer in
Lockport like the sight of
classic cars lining the downtown
square.
On June 4, the first installment
of Cruisin’ Into Lockport
2018 — presented by
the City of Lockport, Lockport
Township Park District
and Lockport Township —
kicked off the season with
a car show dedicated to the
finest Ford Motor Company
has ever offered. Thunderbirds,
Mustangs, custom
models and more varieties
impressed car experts and
novices alike. Along with
all the Ford fun, the event
also featured the Pit Stop
Food Court, games for children
and live music compliments
of the rock band Cadillac
Groove.
Now in its 15th year,
Cruisin’ Into Lockport signaled
the start of summer
in the suburbs with sunny
skies and huge crowds during
its first week.
“I think over the past 15
years it has gained a reputation
for being a fun, family
event with free entertainment,
and you can even
eat your dinner out here,”
said Jodi Herman, City of
Lockport administrative assistant.
“On nights like tonight
when it’s so nice, you
can come out to look at the
cars and sit and listen to the
bands. It’s great.”
The car show is just one
of the many things Mayor
Steve Streit loves about
summertime in Lockport.
“There’s a lot going on
this summer,” he said.
“Gallery Seven is here and
they’re doing concerts all
summer long. We have
UnLock – the National Endowment
for the Arts show
– going on all summer and
the People’s Artwork show
is going on as well. The car
show every Monday is a
blast and the park district
has LockRocks.
“Everything is fun. We
always enjoy being able
to participate in all these
events.”
Joliet resident Jim Dickerson
enjoys coming out to
Cruisin’ Into Lockport for
the cars and the company.
He showcased his 2003
Ford Mustang GT.
“This is something fun
to do and it keeps me out
of the tavern,” he joked. “It
keeps me off the streets. All
the cars are great and it’s
good company. It’s great.”
Many car lovers also enjoyed
seeing Wilmington
resident John Weiss’ 1965
Ford Mustang.
“The first year they made
the Ford Mustang was 1964
and a half,” he explained.
“It was really 1965, which
is what they’re titled, but
for three months they had
the designation of ‘64 and
a half.”
Weiss worked at a gas
station when the Mustang
made its debut in the mid-
1960s, and he knew one day
he would own one of the
soon-to-be iconic vehicles.
He has owned several of
them and said there is something
special about the Ford
Mustang.
“Everybody knows a
Mustang,” Weiss said.
“Even young kids will yell
out, ‘Mustang!’ The first
time I got one I felt so good.
People would be beeping at
me and I thought I might
have a flat tire or something,
but they just wanted to
give a thumbs up. It took a
while for me to get used to
that.”
While Ford was the theme
of week one of Cruisin’ Into
Lockport, all makes and
models were welcome to
participate. At the end of
Classic cars lined the Central Square and First Midwest Bank parking lots June 4 during the first edition of Cruisin’ into
Lockport 2018. Photos by Laurie Fanelli/22nd Century Media
the day, the top judged Ford
went home with a special
plaque.
As attendees made their
way through the car show,
many of them enjoyed ice
cream compliments of the
week’s sponsor, AARP
Chapter #5294. Joliet resident
Lauren Berrios – accompanied
by her parents
Danny and Tracey Berrios
– enjoyed a scoop of chocolate.
“It’s good and I like looking
at all the cool cars,” she
said.
Future weeks of Cruisin’
Into Lockport are to feature
Firebirds with the music of
The Millennials (June 18),
Foreign Cars with songs
from Logical Confusion
(July 9) and Corvettes with
the country-stylings of Dixie
Crush (July 16). The
event takes over Central
Square on Mondays through
Cadillac Groove plays “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder during Cruisin’ Into Lockport.
Aug. 27. The Pit Stop Food
Court opens at 4 p.m., the
car show kicks off at 5 p.m.
and the free concerts begin
at 6:30 p.m.
More information about
Cruisin’ Into Lockport and
other events can be found at
www.cityoflockport.net.