×

Krusin Klassics Fun Run hits the street Friday

Daily Press file photo Vintage cars parade down Ludington Street during last year’s Krusin Klassics Fun Run. This year’s Fun Run kicks off with the annual parade on Friday at 7 p.m.

ESCANABA — Krusin Klassics Fun Run, which features cars and trucks from 1994 or earlier and special-interest cars and trucks, will return on Friday and Saturday.

“The theme is ‘Born In The U.S.A.,’ and it’s our 34th Fun Run,” Krusin Klassics Vice President Terrie Belongie said.

Registration for the annual event will be open at Building 5 on the U.P. State Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday. There will be a fee for entry buttons and a fee for swapping spaces. Children under the age of 12 will be admitted free.

The annual Fun Run parade will take place Friday at 7 p.m., starting at Ludington Park and continuing down Ludington Street. Lineup for the parade will start at 6 p.m. in Ludington Park.

“We’re expecting at least 400 cars,” Belongie said. About 375 cars participated in 2018’s parade.

The parade will end at the intersection of Ludington Street and Stephenson Avenue. There, cars will split up and head in two different directions to the U.P. State Fairgrounds.

Traditionally, a cruise to Gladstone took place after the parade. However, continued construction on the U.S. 2 and 41 bridge over the Escanaba River has forced Krusin Klassics to cancel this for another year.

“Hopefully, next year we’ll be able to do that,” Belongie said.

After the parade, the Born In The U.S.A. Party will be held at the Ruth Butler Building at the U.P. State Fairgrounds from 8 p.m. until midnight. Food vendors, games and a 50/50 raffle will be present at the party; The Cadillacs will perform live music. The party will be open to members of the public

Saturday’s activities will kick off with a pancake breakfast, which will be served by the Ford River Lions Club from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Ruth Butler Building.

Gates for the car show and swap meet will open at 7 a.m. Registration will be open from 8 a.m. until noon Saturday.

New to 2019’s Fun Run is Rhino Dyno, a mobile chassis dynamometer testing service. The service will be available on the midway from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. There will be a charge for the service.

A women’s appreciation luncheon will begin at noon in the Ruth Butler Building. This will be open to the first 150 women who arrive for the luncheon.

A variety of activities will be available during the Fun Run, as well.

“We’re going to have a petting zoo, a bounce house (and the) Pocket Park for the kids,” Belongie said. Additionally, food booths, displays, vendors, kids’ tractor pulls and games will be present at the event.

Trophy awards and participant prizes for the Fun Run will be awarded at 4:30 p.m. in the grandstands. Fourteen Krusin Klassics Car/Truck Trophy Picks and two Krusin Klassics Car/Truck Best of Shows will be picked by Krusin Klassics, one Chatfield Machine/NAPA Trophy Award will be awarded and a Special Dedicated Award will be given in honor of past Krusin Klassics member Terry Belongie.

A raffle drawing will be held after the awards or by 6 p.m. in the grandstands. The top prize for the raffle is a 1985 Chevrolet C10; 28 other prizes will be available. The raffle will be open to the public, and entrants do not need to be present to win.

Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the U.P. State Fairgrounds Friday and Saturday. To buy raffle tickets before the Fun Run, call 906-786-3638.

In addition to the raffle, there will be a special giveaway exclusively for people who have cars entered in the 2019 Fun Run.

“This year, we are offering a car show participant car,” Belongie said.

The giveaway will take place at the same time as the raffle drawing. The car, a 1986 Chevrolet Camaro IROC, will be given to a randomly-selected participant in the show.

One entry is allowed per participant. Entrants must have the car they are showing titled in their name on its registration, the car must be on the U.P. State Fairgrounds during the giveaway, and entrants must be present to win.

Though attendance numbers at the Fun Run will be contingent on weather during the weekend, Belongie said early signs have been encouraging.

“It looks like it’s going to be … a pretty decent turnout,” she said.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today