Cruise Nite, Ag Museum concert,
Taste of the Valley, Airport
Open House this weekend

By Peggy Kelly Santa Paula Times Lovers of having a good time and supporting good causes have a great reason to look forward to this weekend in Santa Paula and neighboring Fillmore!

Tonight the famed Cruise Nite featuring classic cars and featuring Johnny & The Love Handles will kick off its season, the Museum of Ventura Agriculture Museum will be offering its own concert as well as a gourmet palace on wheels and on Sunday visitors will be welcomed to the famous Santa Paula Airport.

Visitors to the 16 Annual Cruise Nite season, held on the First Friday of each month from April to October, will see East Main Street closed from 10th to 7th streets to allow plenty of parking for hundreds of prime pre-1975 vehicles.

So popular is Cruise Nite that even side streets have to be closed to hold the overflow of classic vehicles that are the delight of the visitors and a favored destination for photographers and video-graphers.

Visitors can stroll, eat at local restaurants (many offering Cruise Nite specials) and shop in the historic Downtown where the fun never stops... even after the vehicles start pulling out at dusk.

And you’ll have to be ready to rock and roll with Johnny & The Love Handles, one of Cruise Nite’s favorite bands, that will start playing shortly after the crowd starts arriving at about 5:30 p.m. 

There’s plenty of free pubic parking in the Downtown, including at the Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum (926 Railroad Ave. in the Railroad Plaza).

And, you’ll have the opportunity to head over to the museum following Cruise Nite where the Barrelhouse Wailers will get your “mojo workin’” with New Orleans type hot jazz and blues from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for the general public, $5 for Museum members, and $2 for kids with an adult. Seating is first come, first seated; dining and cocktail tables are provided.

Outside the museum, known throughout Ventura County as The Mill, the Underground Gourmet food truck will serve creative, bountiful burgers, tasty tacos, garden salads and decadent fries, from 7 to 9 p.m. 

Saturday you’ll be able to help the environment and our “furever” best friends with two recycling events: The City of Santa Paula is holding a special drop off event for residents only that will accept that hard to get rid of used motor oil, latex paint, fluorescent tubes and batteries but not other hazardous household waste.

The drop off will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at 903 Corporation Street.

Proof of residency is required to take part in the event, funded by a grant from the California Integrated Waste Management Board.  

You can take those electronics that should be recycled to the second event that will benefit C.A.R.L., Canine Adoption Rescue League.

Computers, monitors, cell phones, televisions, MP3 players, ink and toner cartridges, printers, microwaves, cables and wire, laptops and all electronics will be accepted at the event, to be held at Santa Paula Shopping Center, 600 W. Main St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.