The 2021 Clinton Township Gratiot Cruise is revved up for its 18th year, continuing a long-time community tradition that brings more than 200,000 people and thousands of classic cars to Macomb County.
Billing itself as Macomb County’s most family-friendly car cruise, the Clinton Township Gratiot Cruise is set to take place Sunday, Aug. 1, with accommodations made to ensure everyone feels safe, comfortable and ready to cruise during this year’s activity-packed event, according to Clinton Township Gratiot Cruise spokesman and committee member Paul Silvestri.
“The family-fun zone is going to be a huge attraction this year,” Silvestri said, stating it will have everything from bounce houses to arts and crafts to the much-anticipated “Touch a Truck” fun back to the corner of 15 Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue. Other attractions in the family-fun zone, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., include games, paint-a-truck, DJ entertainment, activity booths, food vendors and more.
The Gratiot Cruise is free for all residents, family and friends to attend. Participants are encouraged to set up lawn chairs or put out a blanket to sit on while watching the cruising cars go by. People interested in participating in the Classic Car Show can register at Cruise Headquarters — located in the parking lot of the McLaren Macomb “Glass House” Building, at the southeast corner of 16 Mile and Gratiot — beginning at 8 a.m.
The cruise, which takes place annually the first Sunday in August, will continue its route on Gratiot Avenue from 14 Mile Road to Wellington Crescent (north of Metropolitan Parkway) and back through Clinton Township. It was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s cruise also features several pre-cruise car shows leading up to Cruise Day that draws thousands more people, the support of more than 100 sponsors and sponsoring businesses that help make Gratiot Avenue come alive with car club parking, parties, grilling, moon walks, radio station booths, entertainment and more, Silvestri remarked.
“It’s not just cruise day. We’ve got seven car shows coming up that run from now through the end of the month,” Silvestri said. “What makes that great is it will bring a lot of people to the various businesses hosting them. We’re just hoping to get back to how we were in 2019 and continue a longstanding tradition on Gratiot.”
The main mission of the event, Silvestri added, is to promote Clinton Township and Gratiot Avenue as great places to shop, dine out and be entertained. These businesses, which range from auto shops to shopping centers to the Clinton-Macomb Public Library, have all invested in the Gratiot corridor and have made the area a great place to eat, play and work, he stated.
The Grand Marshall for the 2021 Clinton Township Gratiot Cruise is Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini. The lifelong Macomb County resident and father of three (plus grandfather of one) is the past Grand Knight at the St. Hubert Knights of Columbus, past youth co-leader at St. Hubert Catholic Church and past board member of the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce among other community-centric roles.
Sunday’s weather should also be ideal, according to Accuweather.com, which is forecasting a high of 75 with sunshine and clouds mixed throughout the day.
For more information about the 2021 Gratiot Cruise, visit the event website at ctgratiotcruise.com.
A day of fun
Sunday’s itinerary includes:
8 a.m.: Classic car show registration begins; family fun zone vendor load-in/setup begins
11:10 a.m.: Opening Ceremonies: Master of Ceremonies Jim Tignanelli; opening comments by Clinton Township Supervisor Robert Cannon; and National Anthem
11:30 a.m.: Pedal car parade begins
Noon: Family fun zone opens
2 p.m.: Car show awards and passport prizes
Day-long events: Freestar Financial Credit Union Family Fun Zone DJ entertainment, official cruise merchandise and food for sale, adult games (cornhole, ladder ball, and giant jenga). Clinton Township Parks & Recreation “Kids Zone” – games, paint-a-car and touch-a-truck.
5 p.m.-Family Fun Zone closes
The Freestar Financial Credit Union Family Fun Zone is located in front of AMC Theaters, on the west side of Gratiot Avenue just north of 15 Mile Road. The Velic Transportation Cruise Headquarters is located in the parking lot of the McLaren-Macomb “glass house” building, at the southeast corner of Metropolitan Parkway and Gratiot Avenue.
