Road Warriors: Cruise-Ins Let Auto Enthusiasts Show their Metal

From all points of the compass throughout the summer and fall months, they pop up across mid-Michigan in what may seem like random and spontaneous locations to the uninitiated. 

To an untrained eye, it may seem like impromptu car park caucuses — sort of like a flash mob on wheels. Yet these classic car cruise-ins are well-organized assemblies for auto enthusiasts where the nostalgia of the past meets the community and camaraderie of the present. 

Someone rolling into the Maple City Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2406 on Lansing Road in Charlotte this summer would have found a parking lot full of people enjoying food, drink, good company and some vintage vehicles. 

Rick Vishop, president of the Charlotte Cruisers, said the organization raises money made from entry fees and donations. It uses the money to give out Christmas baskets for veterans. The Cruisers have a goal to grow by two members a year. In 2023, the group grew by 10.  

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