Daily Press file photo Vintage cars cruise Ludington Street during last year’s Krusin’ Klassics Fun Run parade. The event returns this weekend with the parade down Ludington Street starting at 7 p.m.

ESCANABA — The 39th annual Fun Run organized by the Krusin’ Klassics car club comes to Escanaba this weekend, beginning with a parade on Friday. The big show — the display of all the vehicles, food and drink vendors, swap for used parts and more — will be on Saturday at the Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds.

Vehicle registration for the event begins at 9 a.m. at building 5 on the fairgrounds on Friday, May 31. That continues throughout the day until lineup for the parade begins at 6 p.m. at Ludington Park.

The parade will cruise two abreast along Ludington Street, heading west from the park at 7 p.m. Then the automobiles split to head down Stevenson Avenue, where, officially, the parade concludes, but many of the vehicles will continue to Gladstone and stop at Lakeview Assisted Living.

“Once it goes through Northtown (in Escanaba), it’s no longer the organized ride, so to speak,” said Krusin’ Klassics President Mark Caswell, who encouraged drivers to continue to the assisted living home on the bayshore.

“A lot of people cruise to Gladstone to cool the cars off… to Lakeview Assisted Living. There’s a circle drive there, and they’ll have the elderly folks out to enjoy the cars as they file through there and whatnot, and then it’s back to the fairgrounds for the dance at 8:00.”

Live music will be taking place in downtown Escanaba on Friday for the enjoyment of parade-goers.

In the evening, The Grand Design Band will be performing at the dance party at the fairgrounds, which goes from 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday. An ’80s costume party, food vendors, bucket raffles and silent auction will also take place Friday night.

On Saturday, June 1, gates open at the fairgrounds at 8 a.m. for the car show and swap meet. Registration for cars and trucks runs until noon. Throughout the day, vendors, food and refreshments, and other displays and activities will be ongoing.

One big draw that will be on the midway from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. is the Rhino Dyno, which tests vehicles’ horsepower.

“Corvette Summer” is the theme of this year’s Fun Run, and the winners of two ‘Vettes will be drawn and announced at 4:30 on Saturday.

The raffle prize is a 1981 Chevrolet Corvette with an automatic transmission, tan and root beer brown exterior paint job, camel tan cloth interior upholstery, air conditioning, power windows, cruise control and 22,000 miles. Tickets have been sold for the past few months and can still be purchased at the events Friday and Saturday.

Other items will be raffled off Saturday afternoon as well, and winners need not be present to claim their prizes.

The other car, an ’84 Corvette, is a participant prize — it is available with stipulations to car owners present at the time of the drawing. Their name must be on the vehicle’s title and registration, and the car must be at least 25 years old and also present on the grounds as part of the show.

The Krusin’ Klassics club was formed as a nonprofit in 1985 to celebrate the camaraderie of classic car enthusiasts. It has grown immensely, regularly drawing hundreds of historic automobiles, hot rods, and other special interest vehicles to its annual Fun Run.

Money raised by the club goes to charities and organizations throughout Delta County. Upper Peninsula Honor Flight, Bay de Noc Community College, the Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, Delta County Cancer Alliance, and the robotics teams of local high schools have all received donations raised by past Fun Runs.