For car enthusiasts and antique fanatics, The Villages Cruise-Ins are the place to be!
On the third Saturday of each month The Villages Special Events and Entertainment teams gather the best line up of vehicles from Resident Lifestyle Car Clubs in The Villages.
Cruise-In’s are the perfect place for those who share an interest in vehicles to gather and enjoy the collections, peruse the cars and cast a vote on their favorites. Even those less interested in the hobby can enjoy the live music and grab a bite to eat from local food vendors!
This month’s event is a little more special. June 18th marks the 25th anniversary of The Villages Cruise-In’s! At the 25th Anniversary Cruise-In event spectators and participants can expect music on the live stage at Spanish Springs where it all began with none other than the classic Rocky and The Roller’s!
Speaking of classics, we were able to talk with some classic groups looking forward to this big event, including group leader of The Villages Classic Automobile club, Will Vermilya.
“Our group has gone through several name changes, but this one has been around probably 7 or 8 years. We have some members though who have been around since the beginning when the whole thing started at Spanish.”
The Villages Classic Automobiles Club gets together to participate in many events throughout the community including car shows, exhibits, and more. They’re next gathering will be June 17th at Watercrest Buena Vista Assisted Living to celebrate Father’s Day.
Will explained a little more on why being a part of a club like this means so much to him and those a part of the group.
“It’s two things that make this hobby so great. One, it’s amazing to share a common interest with others without any other factors interfering. Two, sharing that interest with the public gives us the same feeling an artist has sharing an exhibit. We display our automobiles just the same as they present their art, and we love people enjoying and appreciating it with us and asking questions or wanting pictures taken with our art.”
When speaking with group leader Sandy Turner, president of the British Motoring Club, he explains a similar passion. The reason behind this club’s origin was primarily founded on a niche appreciation Turner wanted to share with The Villages.
“I had an English car that had been in my family over 20 years and when I went to my first Cruise-In at Spanish Springs I noticed there was very few British vehicles. I looked around and said, “Where’s the British Car Club?”.”
That’s when Sandy decided to establish The Villages British Motoring Club in 2019, now a huge hit with over 60 members and about 80 cars to show!
Sandy states,
“Keep your eyes peeled, as there may be events in the future involving the mash up of the ultimate British invasion between our group and The Hooligan’s band as we work with Special Events to get the ball rolling on something really cool!”
For now, make sure to mark your calendars and head over to Spanish Springs on June 18th to enjoy and join in on this historic celebration for The Villages and Cruise-Ins alike at the 25th Anniversary Cruise-In!
