“When we started you were pretty sure to get a space if you arrived at 5:30 p.m.” But, Aguilar said, “now we have to shoo people out of parking spaces” that have arrived hours in advance to secure a spot to show off their sweet ride.In nine seasons of Cruise Nite, there has been only one accident: “An elderly man backed into a light pole.... It wasn’t hurt, but it banged up his car!” Downtown restaurants were doing a brisk business, and Aguilar said it was “great” to see that Vince’s Coffee Shop is again open.Donna and Dave Stewart, owners of the Santa Paula Inn, said that their hotel was near capacity. “...And I told people to come down to Cruise Nite,” said Dave.“We never miss Cruise Nite, but it get dark too early!” said Dottie Armbruster accompanied by her husband Bill.“I love it, just love it,” said Tisa Grant, owner of Tisa’s Hair Salon & Spa, who each month hosts an open house for Cruise Nite visitors. Cruise Nite “makes people realize what is in the stores... they look at a car, turn around and see them,” and said Grant. “We give a brochure out to everyone who comes in.”The 10th Season of Cruise Nite will debut on the First Friday of April 2008. Official Cruise Nite hours are 6 to 9 p.m.
Last Cruise Nite of the season brings crowd for classic car nostalgia
October 10, 2007
Santa Paula News
It was the last evening of the season for Cruise Nite, where a pre-1975 classic vehicle with a coonskin - the perfect antenna adornment - and a rich red enameled 1948 Chevrolet pickup were perfect parking partners.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesIt was the last evening of the season for Cruise Nite, where a pre-1975 classic vehicle with a coonskin - the perfect antenna adornment - and a rich red enameled 1948 Chevrolet pickup were perfect parking partners. Not to be outdone, across Main Street was a similar pickup with a bright banana yellow custom paint job parked near a circa 1940s Dodge that looked like the perfect “ride” for old-fashioned mobsters.Cruise Nite is more than hundreds of classic and vintage cars. “We’ve done about five demos so far tonight,” said Santa Paula Police Sergeant Jimmy Fogata, on hand with his K-9 partner, Evan.“The kids seem to like the dogs a lot. I’ll miss Cruise Nite until it comes back in April,” he noted. “The crowd has been great... it’s been packed! It’s like a class reunion,” with many attending the event meeting for the first time in years.Indeed, East Main and side streets were packed with the Cruise Nite exhibitors, city residents and those out of towners who have Cruise Nite on their monthly calendar.The Angela Skeels Band was performing outside Brownie’s Basement and across from the stand where Cruise Nite T-shirts - each month featuring a different participating car drawn by Wendell Dowling - were selling briskly. Henry Aguilar, a Cruise Nite co-founder, was feeling nostalgic: “Oh, I’m sad, now we’ll have to wait until April; that will mark our tenth” year of Cruise Nite. “Wendell is going to come up with a logo” noting the anniversary that will be featured on 2008 Cruise Nite T-shirts.Aside from the fact that Friday was the last Cruise Nite display of the season, Aguilar said he is “pleased that we’ve never had any trouble,” although with the rising popularity of the event next year the Santa Paula Police Department might be asked to assist with set-up and parking. “Cruise Nite has become so popular that if you get here at 6 p.m. you might as well just drive through,” due to lack of Main Street display parking.
