Annual Hot El Camino Cruise Nite extended to include new event
Photo by Rick Evans.
New, ‘Cruisin’ Weekend’ will include new celebration, ‘Dancing in the Streets’
–For the first time ever, the 24th annual Hot El Camino Cruise Nite and Mid-state Cruisers Car Show will be extended to include a brand new entertainment event, “Dancing in the Streets.” This new celebration will include a variety of favorite local bands, food and beer vendors, antique cars, and lots of dancing. The fun happens on August 19 and 20.
For 24 years, Hot El Camino Cruise Nite night has been one of the largest, most popular annual events in Atascadero, when hundreds of local cruisers and car lovers from all over California come to downtown Atascadero on a beautiful Friday evening in August with their beautifully restored antique cars to take a cruise down El Camino Real. Over the years, Cruise Nite has grown immensely, and now has been expanded to be an even bigger and better event for locals and tourists alike to come, stay and enjoy a full weekend of fun. Cruise Nite festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19. Cars will be cruising the street between the hours of 6:30-8:30 p.m. The Mid-State Cruisers Car Show will be at Atascadero Lake Park On Saturday, August 20 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., showcasing a wide array of beautiful, antique cars. Then, from 5-7 p.m., the Cruisers’ antique cars will be lined up one each side of the Sunken Gardens in downtown Atascadero for the brand new event, Dancing in the Streets!
Dancing in the Streets will include five favorite local bands, food trucks and beer vendors who will all gear up for a great night of fun and dancing! The dancing party will kick off with the Mighty Croon Dogs from 5-7 p.m. and will include a performance by Legacy Acrobatics in San Luis Obispo, followed by a demonstration by the Ballroom Dancers from the Colony Park Community Center. From 6-8 p.m., the Martin Paris Band will be featured on the Entrada Stage with a performance by a local favorite from “Dancing with Our Stars,” and the Colony Park Community Center will showcase some easy and fun Line Dancing moves which will embolden everyone to participate! From 7-9 p.m., Ricky Montijo and the Mojitos at the 805 Boardshop Stage is sure to be a real toe-tappin’ crowd pleaser. The party will continue from 7-10 p.m. at the Grape Encounters Emporium with Cocktail Shorty, and at the Carlton with Burning James & the Funky Flames.
A variety of food trucks will be available including the Grilled Cheese Incident, Hurricane Kitchen, Shave ‘N Flav, G-Brothers Smokehouse, Gypsy Flame Pizza, and Smokin’ Cody’s BBQ. Three beer gardens will be on hand to quench your thirst and will benefit local non-profit groups: Tap It Brewing benefiting the Optimist Club; Central Coast Brewing benefiting Kiwanis; and Dunbar Brewing benefiting the Printery Foundation. Wine will be poured at Grape Encounters Empourium, and Whiskey and June will be pouring at The Carlton, and downtown dining favorites will of course be open to serve hungry guests as well.
It’s free to attend any of the Cruisin’ Weekend events. Food, drink and souvenirs are available for purchase and a variety of local merchants will be open.
For more information on the event or cost and details of car registration, please contact us at (805) 470-3360 or www.visitatascadero.com/events.
