Cruise Night Offers Camaraderie, Reminiscence
Car owner Vinnie Gamble points out special items under the hood of his 1988 Camaro to Ethan Dunbar who owns a 1967 Plymouth Fury.
“Cruise Night” at the VFW in Bellingham is about more than just old cars.
On Monday evenings at 5 p.m., car enthusiasts display their carefully-cared-for autos for friends, families, and strangers to admire. Many of the cars are from the 1960’s and were driven around to the sounds of “Fun, Fun, Fun” by the Beach Boys, “Little Old Lady from Pasadena” by Jan and Dean, and, of course, “Drive My Car” by the Beatles.
“I’m here for the old memories,” explains Jack Scavitto who attended a recent Cruise Night at the VFW. “Back in the 1960’s, I owned a Malibu Super Sport and a 442 Olds.” He now owns a 2014 Camaro SS. “It’s fun,” says VFW post commander Tom Lane. “You get to meet new people, look at all the different cars, and I greet and thank everyone of them! They love the great interaction between car owners.”
The Bellingham Cruise Night debuted on June 18, 2021, just as the COVID pandemic was lessening. “Starting this was part of getting our VFW post back to normal,” recalls Lane. Anyone can attend, and there is no admission charge. Bring the old car you love, or just walk around and see lots of cool old cars that everybody loves.
“I like cars,” says Rob Hastings who owns and proudly displays his shiny, black 2000 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible. “We get to talk with car people, hang out with them… everybody here works on their cars.”
And while they’re hangin’ out and talking, they purchase hot dogs, hamburgers, and cold drinks from the VFW. Says Lane, “We do a lot of our business on Cruise Nights.” Proceeds go to help local vets.
Forty people and 20 cars were at a recent Cruise Night at the Bellingham VFW. On a typical Monday evening, there are 15-30 cars for visitors to see.
Vinnie Gamble, who owns a 1988 Chevy Camaro IROC, echoes Lane. “I’m here to support vets, have a cold beer, and talk with some good people.”
For Ethan Dunbar (your reporter’s son), it’s about “camaraderie with the guys, making contacts, and getting creative ideas for improving your car.” His is a 1967 Plymouth Sport Fury 3.
Wally Power is a regular at Cruise Night. He has a 1966 Dodge Charger that’s “almost all original and it was the first model made.” He has had it for 11 years. Power likes to show his Charger and goes to up to four car shows every week.
And there are lots of shows around at locations including Patriot Place, Cumberland Stop & Shop, the Upton VFW, and in Blackstone. NE Cruise Nights and Events has lots of listings and you can check them all out at www.facebook.com/groups/NECNE
