The event, which is free for spectators, was previously known as the Krusin’ Klassics Fun Run and is now beginning a new chapter under the direction of the Escanaba Downtown Development Authority (DDA).

Festivities begin Friday with a downtown parade filled with classic, custom and cool cars and motorcycles at 7 p.m. Due to construction along Ludington Street, the parade route has been adjusted and will now proceed along Ludington Street from 5th Street to the Municipal Dock.

Justin Lauscher, Ludington Street Cruise committee chairperson, said organizers remain optimistic despite the challenges posed by construction in the event’s inaugural year.

“(Construction) definitely throws a little bit of a wrench into the supporting downtown element that we’re really trying to push with this, but because this is the first year of it, we’re trying to make the best of it,” Lauscher said.

Due to construction along Ludington Street, the Ludington Street Cruise's parade route has been adjusted and will now proceed along Ludington Street from 5th Street to the Municipal Dock. The parade will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday. (Courtesy photo)

Attendees can especially look forward to non-street-legal race cars making appearances along the parade route, which has been approved by public safety, Lauscher added.

All vehicles must be registered in order to take part in the parade or show and to qualify for awards. Registration includes entry into the Friday parade, participation in the Saturday car show and eligibility for awards and trophies.

Participants are strongly encouraged to pre-register to help ensure smooth event operations. Pre-registration is available at https://ludingtonstreetcruise.com/registration/.

The Ludington Street Cruise car show will take place on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Day-of registration opens at 8 a.m. at the corner of Lake Shore Drive and Ludington Street.

Participants in the show are asked to enter from 1st Avenue South or Lake Shore Drive. Vehicles will line up on Ludington Street beginning at 5th Street and extending toward the Municipal Dock based.

The Ludington Street Cruise will take place this Friday and Saturday and will feature various attractions, including Eastbound & Down, a “Smokey and the Bandit” tribute featuring the iconic Trans Am, police car and semi-truck. The event is free for spectators to attend. (Courtesy photo)

Live entertainment will be provided by Stonewall at 8:30 p.m. Friday, followed by Grand Design at 11:30 a.m. and 141 North at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Food and beverage vendors will be on site throughout the event, along with a beer tent.

“It’s free to attend,” Lauscher added. “Bring your family on down, come enjoy the bands, come get some food. It doesn’t cost anything to get in.”

Trophies in 20 different categories will be presented to show participants during closing awards at 4 p.m. Saturday located at the Island Resort & Casino Stage downtown.

The event will feature many attractions, including Eastbound & Down, a “Smokey and the Bandit” tribute featuring the iconic Trans Am, police car and semi-truck. The display is being presented by local Edward Jones financial advisors.

Other features of the event include the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, presented by Elmer’s County Market, and Rhino Dyno demonstrations sponsored by local businesses.

Spectators will once again have the opportunity to vote for their favorite cars, trucks and motorcycles. However, this year, voting will be done by scanning QR codes displayed on each participating vehicle.

“We’re really, really streamlining (voting) to make it easier on ourselves and easier on the attendees,” Lauscher said.

Organizers noted attendees are welcome to vote for as many entries as they like.

After the Krusin’ Klassics Car Club hosted its 41st and final Fun Run in 2025, the Escanaba DDA stepped in to carry the tradition forward, rebranding the event as the Ludington Street Cruise.

Since its launch in 1985, the Fun Run had been a cornerstone community event hosted at the fairgrounds. Over the years, Club President Mark Caswell estimated that nearly 60 vehicles were raffled off, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars that were reinvested into the community.

“We’ve got a new group of people with a couple of familiar faces from Fun Run planning the event,” Lauscher said earlier this year. “It’s people highly involved in the community who want to see the show succeed.”

While the club has remained active, an aging member base and difficulty recruiting volunteers made managing the Fun Run increasingly challenging in the show’s final years.

When it was announced in 2025 that the show would be changing hands, DDA Director Craig Woerpel said, “Our goal is not to duplicate what Krusin Klassics has done over the years. That’s not possible to do. The impact that they’ve had on this community has been immense, so our goal is to continue something like that… so that our community can continue to benefit from a car show.”

More information on this weekend’s event is available on Ludington Street Cruise’s Facebook page and at ludingtonstreetcruise.com.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.