Enjoy vehicles of all kinds and music, vendors and food at Cruising Downtown Manchester
By Zachary Lewis
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The 23rd annual Cruising Downtown Manchester, presented by the Rotary Club of Manchester, will be taking place on Labor Day weekend from 8 a.m to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31.
The family event is not just for cars. Trucks and motorcycles are always encouraged to attend. Leashed dogs are allowed to attend the free citywide event.
Brad Fournier has been the chair of the committee at the Rotary Club.
“There’s a team of us, a core group of us, I want to say about 10 people that work pretty heavily for the event,” Fournier said.
Fournier mentioned Rotary Club member Sue Manchester as integral in helping put on Cruising Downtown Manchester and spoke highly of the committee.
“None of us collect a paycheck. It’s straight-up charity, which is pretty awesome,” he said.
The event funds a great amount for their charities.
“One year we grossed about $80,000 and then after all the expenses, with the police and fire, highway department, all that, even like port-a-potties, we were able to net about 50 to 55 [thousands of dollars] to give back,” Fournier said.
So how did it all get started?
“Cruising Downtown started with my dad and his friend Chuck and a few other friends and as they got older they needed to kind of step back due to health issues so the Rotary Club got involved,” he said. Coffee and eggs fueled the car talk. “My dad, he called them his breakfast buddies, and they would get together and always talk about wanting to have their own show….”
The crew would head to Worcester, Massachusetts, to see car shows.
“My dad was always like, ‘We need something like that in New Hampshire.’” Fournier said. “Everybody knew enough people to make it happen.”
The event is true to its name and stretches all down Elm Street.
“It starts at Granite Street and it goes down to the Bridge Street bridge and then the New Hampshire Muscle Car Club holds their muscle car rally on the Bridge Street bridge and that’s going from the west to the eastbound side. They bring roughly about 60 cars on that,” Fournier said.
The cars in the show do not need muscle to make an appearance.
“I don’t care if it’s your mom’s station wagon, if it’s got a story to it and it means something to you and you want to share it with people, that’s what it’s all about,” Fournier said. “Most everybody’s car has some sort of story … some sort of connection.”
Forty different awards are up for grabs and those will be announced at 3 p.m.
“There are ones that actually have a good story to it and that’s what makes it unique. Those are the ones that more so win the trophies because when they are judging, they don’t just look at the car, they usually talk to the owner, try to get a feel for it,” Fournier said.
There are no strict classifications of awards. “We call it Best in Show,” he said. “We don’t have actual categories … basically the top 40 cars will get trophies.”
Pre-registration is over but there is the possibility of same-day registration, although space will be limited if that is the case. Cars will check in at the Brady Sullivan Tower, where they’ll take turns to enter the main event area. “I get there about 3:30 in the morning and there will be about 40 to 60 cars already staged,” Fournier said.
For those registered, parking spots are on a first come, first served basis and there’s no saving spots.
On Elm Street, those attending will be greeted with live music in the morning and afternoon. There will be four bands on two stages with one on Mechanic Street and another in Veterans Park. “Veterans Park is great if you want a little shade,” Fournier noted.
Fun demonstrations will take place. “Around 1 o’clock I believe the fire department will be there to cut up a car to show the jaws of life in action,” he said. “We try to cater it toward families. It’s not just about the cars, it’s about the families.”
There will be many vendors, dog training demonstrations, and arts and crafts, not to mention food, and a pull-up bar competition with the United States Marines. Plenty of charity booths as well as veteran booths will be set up. Fournier called the event “more of a fair but with cars.”
Fournier and his team are very interested in having local school marching bands for future events. “If there are things people think would benefit the show, I’d love to hear it. I’d love to try to get more local talent,” he said.
A $20 donation to the Rotary Club at Bridge Street or Granite Street will get you a Cruising Downtown Manchester T-shirt with words on the front: “I like long walks on Elm Street, especially when they are lined with classic cars.”
This team effort is for the community. “We appreciate everybody that comes… I love just seeing everybody together and no drama. It’s pretty amazing to see that many people get together and just be happy,” Fournier said.
23rd annual Cruising Downtown Manchester
Saturday, Aug. 31, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On Elm Street from Granite Street to Bridge Street (including Bridge Street Bridge)
cruisingdowntownmanchester.com
Featured image: Courtesy photo.
