Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1014569
2 28 th Street Metro Cruise® History Each year on the 4 th weekend in August, thousands of car enthusiasts flock to Grand Rapids historic 28 th Street to see and be seen. Spanning 15 miles and encompassing the communities of Grandville, Wyoming, Grand Rapids, Kentwood and Cascade Township, the 28 th Street Metro Cruise® celebrates America's love of the automobile and has become West Michigan's premiere automotive event. 2018 marks the 14 th anniversary of the Metro Cruise® and planning has begun to make it the largest event yet. Presented by the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce, the Metro Cruise® began as a way to attract business back to 28 th Street during the construction of the M-6 bypass. The event has grown to annual attendance of more than 275,000 visitors in 2017 and over 15,000 Classic Cars including Hot Rods, Muscle Cars, Low Riders, Antiques and many more. Since 2005, the Metro Cruise® has been celebrating classic roadsters and drawing car lovers of all ages making it, at its core, a family-centered entertainment event. Many generations enjoy the bonanza of classic cars by sitting along 28 th street on lawn chairs with great grandparents and grandparents reminiscing with their families about the cars that were COOL in their youth. In addition to thousands of cars, attractions in past years have included: celebrity guests from the car world, DJ entertainment, the Sock Hop, a car parts Swap Meet, car shows, live music and dancing, screenings of car-related films, Metro Cruise Live aka Dream Wheels – a live car event showcasing some of the rarest cars in the country. The event has added many new programming features in the past 2 years. The entertainment for 2018 will include: Miss Metro Cruise Pin Up Girl Finale, 5 Main Stage bands, Official Metro Merch, 19 food vendors, Pinewood Derby Race tracks, Dyno testing area, a 20'x60 relaxation tent, a shuttle service, and more! All these events and features will be at the "hub" of Metro Cruise® - Rogers Plaza in Wyoming. Each year, the communities along 28 th Street become more vested in the event by providing much needed sponsorship dollars. The Metro Cruise® puts dollars back into the community by providing funds to booster clubs and Scout Troops. Funds are also being set aside to enhance a scholarship program through the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Being one of the largest spectator attractions in West Michigan, the Metro Cruise® generates millions of visitor dollars for our community businesses. In 2013, a survey showed that over 3.3 Million Dollars was spent in the 28 th Street corridor. This event also attracts age groups spanning from infants to senior citizens and everyone in between. It is great way to spend a weekend car and people watching, and best of all, admission is free of charge!