With Memorial Day in the rearview mirror, the shift to a summer vibe begins in these parts. That means classic cars come out of storage and go cruising.
Summer doesn’t officially begin until June 21, but plans are afoot for classic car shows and cruises across Lake County. Spit-shined motor vehicles of all shapes and sizes will be spotted hitting area highways or at static displays during some community fetes.
The current high price of gasoline, thanks to the Iran entanglement, certainly won’t deter owners and collectors from strutting their stuff. Cars and events showcasing them are ingrained in our culture, which revolves around the automobile.
It’s like Bob Seger crooned in “Makin’ Thunderbirds” from his 1982 platinum album, “The Distance”: “They were long and low and sleek and fast. They were classic in a word.”
Across the U.S., there must be thousands of car shows held during the summertime. Owners roll out their beauties with pride to celebrate the legacy of once-upon-a-time Motor City know-how and delight crowds.
After all, American Henry Ford invented the automobile assembly line to dispense gas-powered Model Ts and then Model As for all. Ford and other auto pioneers, for good or bad, led the nation to the rise of freeways and the interstate system.
And to fall for Detroit Iron. Before oil embargoes, environmental concerns and imports.
With this year being the centennial of Route 66, the 2,500-mile “Mother Road,” there’s at least one similar roadside car attraction scheduled for Illinois along a stretch of the old highway, which went through eight states from Chicago west to Los Angeles.
Soon, a contingent of vintage marques will take to the streets and parking lots of Lake County. They will be attracting fellow “classic” owners who care for big-block sedans of the 1950s to Detroit Muscle cars of the ’60s and ’70s, and those who merely want to steal another glimpse of their past. Or look at the moving objets d’art they’ve heard so much about from parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents.
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Regardless, the shows attract crowds of all ages. Granted, some want to start including boxy ‘80s and ‘90s econocars into the “classic” category. They can try.
True aficionados know a classic car when they see one. It’s like art. For many, the lustrous vehicles of past decades qualify as old masters.
To some, an AMC Gremlin, which first rolled off the gone-but-not-forgotten automaker’s Kenosha, Wisconsin, assembly line in 1970, may be one. Not.
The first warm-weather car show of this 2026 season I happened to catch took place a few weeks ago in the parking lot of the plaza at Grand Avenue and Route 21 in Gurnee. Organizers are a handful of geezer gearheads who hang out most mornings at Gurnee Donuts.
The Park on Park shows in Mundelein, which are held monthly from 4 to 8 p.m. on second Wednesdays, also began recently. The family-friendly event, which began in 2000, features classic cars and trucks 25 years or older on Park Avenue, between Lake Street and Seymour Avenue.
The grand-daddy of them all, Scoop the Loop in Waukegan, will show off classic cars between 5 and 9 p.m., July 12, and noon to 9 p.m., July 13, on Genesee Street in the city’s downtown. Many heading east to the lakeshore may remember their own experiences when Genesee Street was gridlocked on Friday and Saturday nights in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.
Another classic car show that brings out collectors and spectators is the one during the annual Gurnee Days celebration. It will be held during the village celebration at Viking Park on Old Grand Avenue.
This summer’s show is set for Aug. 8 and 9. That show is always a gas.
As for Route 66, there will be “Cruisin’ the Century,” a 100th anniversary car show in the Downstate community of Litchfield. A bit northeast of St. Louis, the rural community sits along the predecessor to Route 66, Interstate 55.
Organizers say the June 13 event from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in Litchfield’s downtown, will have 200-plus vehicles on hand. Free viewing, but there are vehicle entry fees for those who want a road trip to display their classic stunners.
For enthusiasts of the American auto, this summer’s car shows continue a deep-seated tradition whose classics entertain and captivate many of us.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor. [email protected]. X @sellenews