Annual, popular ‘Cruise Night’ slated
Hot rod show set for Sept. 5 through Sept. 6 in Payette
By Jeff Ward
Argus Observer
Friday, August 22, 2008 3:16 PM PDT
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| Classic cars line up outside the A&W restaurant last week as part of a ‘Cruise In’ night. Hundreds of classic cars will make their way to Payette as part of the annual ‘Cruise Night’ celebration Sept. 5 and Sept. 6. |
Payette ” A popular, local event that began has a way for a local merchant to thank the community for support has grown into one of the premiere motor show events in Idaho.
Payette’s “Cruise Night” will showcase more than 300 cars, trucks and motorcycles Sept. 5 and Sept. 6.
Jim Boyer, owner and operator of the A&W in Payette, said the classic car celebration sprouted after he began searching for a way to thank the community for eating in his restaurant.
“A&W and cars just go together,” Boyer said. “Drive-ins were new back in the 1950s and ’60s. It was the meeting place for kids and a starting place to drag main on a Friday or Saturday night. That was what you did. I thought it would be fun to go back to that time and have some of the people I know with classic cars to come out and show off a little bit. It was never the idea to make it the biggest or anything like that. We just wanted to have a good time and say thanks to the community for coming to our business.”
Now, the 20-year-old event that began as a one-night happening has evolved into a two-day celebration that closes down Main Street in Payette for one night so that classic cars and trucks can drag Main and then fill up Kiwnis Park the next day.
The event is not about just showing off anymore. Boyer belongs to a car club called Rods of Idaho and Oregon. Every year this club takes proceeds made from Cruise Night and gives a $1,500 scholarship to a student who will be attending automotive school.
Boyer is no stranger to building these classics either.
He said he has rebuilt two classics already and is working on a couple more.
“I have the 1941 Ford coupe that I think everyone has seen, a 1978 Chevelle and I am working on a 1929 Ford roadster,” he said. “I have always loved working with cars and metal. I grew up on a farm and we had to learn to manufacture parts early on and I just really liked doing it.”
Boyer is an Air Force veteran who built aircraft during his service time. When he got out of the Air Force, he and his wife, Margaret, moved back to Payette where Boyer built motor homes for a time before he and Margaret took over the A&W from his father-in-law in 1980.
Since starting cruise night, a lot of things have been added to the event. Recorded music has been replaced with a live band and a dance contest, hula hoop contests and a themed best dressed contest all designed to let people have a good time.
“This is a true family event,” Boyer said.
“To look at some of these classic cars and remember when maybe they learned to drive in a car like that or maybe they had a car like that when it first came out. I think people like going back in their minds and remembering those times.”
For more information about Cruise Night contact Jim Boyer at (208) 631-8894.
