It’s finally here. The first major Centre County festival since the pandemic shut everything down is happening, as the Historic Bellefonte Cruise roars back to life Friday and Saturday.
To pull the event off, organizers have had to squeeze what typically is eight to nine months of planning into a two-month window because of the uncertainty that still lingered as the calendar flipped.
All that effort is about to pay off; Cruise Committee Chairman Pat McCool said the event is ready to hit the ground running.
“Everything came together. It really shows how the community is behind us. Everybody is thankful and grateful for putting the show on,” said McCool.
And when the cars come cruising back into Bellefonte for the weekend, “I expect it is going to be something that everybody will enjoy.”
McCool said while the event lost a couple of large sponsors this year, other smaller businesses have “stepped up to the plate” to support it.
With about 150 vehicles pre-registered, McCool said numbers are on par with pre-pandemic registration. Judging by the number of calls he has received over the past few weeks, he said, “All indications are that the day-of registration is going to be up quite a bit.”
The event kicks off on Friday with the annual Open Cruise from 6-7:30 p.m., followed by the Sock Hop on the Diamond featuring Williamsport-based Deuce Coupe Band.
On Saturday, cars, trucks and motorcycles will line the streets of Bellefonte, hoping to take home that Best-in-Show trophy.
Music will be playing from two stages all day and the Marketplace in front of the courthouse will feature vendors with items for sale.
The food court will offer those festival foods that were missed by many during the pandemic.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, June 18
6-7:30 p.m.: Open Cruise — Cruise the Car Show circuit, open to the public
7:30-10:30 p.m.: Sock Hop on the Diamond Featuring Deuce Coupe (live band) and The WOWY Crew
Saturday, June 19
7 a.m.-Noon: Registration — Registration starts promptly at 7 a.m. and not before
7 a.m.-5 p.m.: Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show
10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Bone Jacked (live band) and The 95.3 Crew on the second stage
Noon-5 p.m.: D.J. Troy Breon and the WOWY Crew
1:30 p.m.: Bike Games by the US Vets MC
5 p.m.: Car Show Awards (promptly)
Free facepainting throughout the day
Marketplace — Want to shop for unique items from unique vendors? Check it out Friday night and Saturday all day in front of the courthouse.
Deuce Coupe Band to Rock the Sock Hop
By G. Kerry Webster
“Get in, buckle up and hold on tight. The Deuce Coupe Band will be rockin’ Friday night.”
Those were the words of the Deuce Coupe Band’s frontman Jimmy Hotchkiss, who said he and his band mates are ready to rock the Friday night Sock Hop at the Historic Bellefonte Cruise. The event will be held on The Diamond from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Fittingly, the Williamsport band has been put together like the trophy winner in a modified cruise class. Although together as the Deuce Coupe Band for just two years, the experience of bass guitarist Chuck Little, percussionist Jeff Kreitz, rhythm guitar player Pete Dershem and Hotchkiss, on lead guitar, span more than 35 years. Hotchkiss said fans of former local groups such as The Studebakers, The Silvertones, Brandy, Custom Classics and Straight Up may recognize them on stage at the street dance.
All four members of the group are involved with vocals.
Hotchkiss said the Deuce Coupe Band plays a variety of music from the 1950s through 1980s, but center on rock and roll, country and blues.
“Since this is a Sock Hop, we are going to gear our show to focus on the music of the era. In light, we have added a cache of car-related songs to our repertoire in support of the Cruise,” Hotchkiss said. “Everyone is going to have a great time listening and dancing to the music of the 50s and 60s. The Deuce Coupe Band is always there for the people and love to play any requests they may make.”
Prior to the Sock Hop, nostalgic cruisers are invited to take part in an open cruise and show off their motoring machines in a circuit around town. It is free to participate in the cruise.
The Marketplace Will Provide Cruise-Goers a Break
By Connie Cousins
The Marketplace at the Cruise is an opportunity for vendors to introduce their goods and services to the local community.
Lauren Davidson-Haupt, Marketplace coordinator, said the Marketplace will be partnering this year with WTAJ Channel 10 News and will receive more publicity through the sponsorship of The Centre County Gazette, Auto Connection and WOWY 97.1 FM.
Many small businesses will set up behind the stage on the courthouse lawn on Saturday. According to CDC recommendations, the number has been cut in half to place the vendors a safe distance apart.
The vendors will provide hand sanitizers and practice safety protocols. Some of the following vendors that are attending:
• Pampered Chef will be back for the second time. The direct marketing company has a large variety of kitchen items to sell;
• Mountain Meadow Soaps will attend the Cruise with its lotions, creams and shampoo made with natural ingredients;
• Another new vendor this year will be Beach Bound Creations, which offers a type of beachy home décor;
• S & E Candles;
• Woodcraft by Whitney features all handmade wooden items;
• Tastefully Simple handles not just more-common seasonings, but offers spices and mixes (like BBQ) at their site;
• Steve’s Vintage Photography brings its old vintage items for visitors to dress in, and you can receive your printed picture before you leave the Cruise; and
• Krazy mom Krafts is a vendor that will display epoxy tumblers, sublimated tumblers, beer mugs, wine glasses and more for sale.
“Watkins Glen International is coming for some advertising time,” Davidson-Haupt said. “As a nonprofit with a small budget, it hopes to attract some hands-on enthusiasts who might join it as volunteers.” Of course, Watkins Glen State Park boasts one of the best camping experiences in motorsports, and that is an incentive to check out “The Glen.”
The Marketplace will offer free face painting for children and adults from 11:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., sponsored by the Bellefonte Cruise.
2021 is the third year for Lauren Davidson-Haupt to coordinate the Marketplace. She says that although the Cruise didn’t happen last year, she and her committee had put in the time and were ready by February 2020. Liz Pantle assists Davidson-Haupt and is invaluable because she had been coordinator before Davidson-Haupt.
Davidson-Haupt and Pantle have planned out the Marketplace, populated it with interesting vendors and will be awaiting visitors.
This story appears in the June 17-23 edition of The Centre County Gazette.
