Mt. Pleasant Glass & Ethnic Festival organizers are in full swing preparing for this year's three-day, fall event, and that involves raising money to pay for it.
The 29th annual Mt. Pleasant Cruise Night on Aug. 21 at Frick Park in the borough, is intended to alleviate costs associated with the annual festival to take place from Sept. 24-26.
Festival event committee chairman Rich Kujawa said the annual cruise night is one of the more popular car shows in the area.
“I have people telling me all the time that our cruise is one of the best in the area,” Kujawa said. “We get a lot of people who tell us that they look forward to this every year.”
The cruise welcomes hundreds of vehicles, from classic to new, and from retro to antique, he said.
“We fill the park,” Kujawa said.
The event is held in the park and the surrounding fields, he said.
“Once the field fills up, then we start to park them outside the fence,” Kujawa said. “We will find room for all the cars that come.”
Car enthusiasts from as far as West Virginia, along with those from the Greater Pittsburgh area, are again expected to attend. The record is 360 entries.
“We always get a nice turn out for the car cruise,” said Gerald Lucia, the festival committee's co-chairman.
“We get a lot of people who bring their cars to display, and we get a lot of people who come to walk around and look at the cars and enjoy the evening,” he said.
Lucia affirmed event proceeds prove paramount to the festival's success.
“The money that is raised from the car cruise will then be used for the for maintenance expenses for the festival,” he said. “It's become a tradition here in Mt. Pleasant, and I think that it's one that people really look forward to every year.”
Gates for drivers will open at 6 p.m. with admission by donation.
The first 200 drivers will receive a special dash plaque.
“The plaques are nice, and some drivers collect them,” Kujawa said.
Gates for the public will open at 7 p.m. with a donation of $2 for adults and children younger than 12 will be admitted for free.
A disc jockey will provide music, and there will also be food and beverages available throughout the evening.
A 50/50 drawing will be held and entrants must be present to win.
Reigning festival “Miss” Brianna Lazar, 16, will be enjoying one of her last event's as the reigning pageant winner during the cruise night, she said.
She added she has enjoyed her time as the title holder, and looks forward to the event.
“I think it sounds like it will be a fun evening, and I am looking forward to it,” Lazar said.
Festival committee co-chairman Jeff Landy said he thinks the unique setting of the events lends to some of the interest shown by drivers and attendees alike.
“It's just a nice evening,” Landy said. “It's under the lights, and it's on the field in the park, and it's just nice. We always get a lot of positive feedback, and if the weather is nice, it should be a good event.”
The event is sponsored by Davies Ford.
Rain date for the cruise will be Aug. 28.
Marilyn Forbes is a contributing writer for Trib Total Media.
