Cloverdale on cruise control
There are no contests and no costs for registration. At the Cloverdale Cruise-in, it’s all about chill vibes.
“It's really simple and straightforward,” said organizer Tom Goodwin. “The common denominator is just people who love to show or look at cars and it's got the best vibe of any car show you can go to.”
Being open to all comers means the show will bring a wealth of diversity to the town’s main drag on Saturday, Sept. 2.
“We get everything from junkers to trailer queens, which are cars that are moved from show to show on a trailer and never get driven,” Goodwin said. “There will be some very glamorous cars and stuff that comes from the barn. There’s no music, there's no food, it's just people coming together to have a good time.”
Although the get-together is free, participants are encouraged to donate to Nestucca Rural Fire & Rescue. The department has used funds raised at past cruise-ins for purchases like a set of Jaws of Life, which are used to extract drivers and passengers from cars in the case of a crash.
“It is still a benefit for them,” Goodwin said. “They don’t have a specific goal this year so the money will just go to the general fund that helps them with whatever needs they have.”
A self-described “car nut,” Goodwin found a like-minded partner upon moving to Cloverdale.
“Dick Warren was a hot-rodder who took me under his wing when I moved here,” he said. “I was always interested in cars — vintage and fast, and all kinds of cars, trucks and motorcycles. I currently have a ’36 Studebaker, a ’65 Chevy 2 station wagon and a ’65 MG TF. Now that I’m retired I can afford more time for them.”
More than a decade ago, Goodwin and Warren decided to put on an event similar to other car shows they attended.
“We had trophies and sign-ups and a lot of paperwork to do,” Goodwin said of the early days of the Cloverdale Cruise-in. “It’s evolved to where it’s something more casual.”
As the owner of a gallery located in town, Goodwin has a front-row seat to the change in the number of visitors stopping to enjoy the charming town, located between the dairy-focused Tillamook to the north and the beachy vibes of Pacific City and Lincoln City to the south.
“Attendance in Cloverdale has been really increasing,” he said. “We have had more interest in the event too, so I think it will be pretty well attended, which will make it more fun.”
Goodwin is looking forward to seeing all the cars that will fill the town on Sunday.
“We will get all kinds of cars that come here like hot rods and other vintage cars. And clubs like Tillawheels and the Scroungers, but it will be mostly independent owners both male and female.”
After finding a spot to park in downtown Cloverdale, participants usually walk around to look at each other’s cars and share ideas with one another before parking themselves by their own rides.
The Cloverdale Cruise-in had historically been held on Wednesdays, but a few years ago the organizers decided to change it to Labor Day weekend.
“This works really well because so many people are around and have time,” Goodwin said. “People can come to enjoy the cars, then go home and have their barbecues.”
The cruise runs from 8 am to 4 pm. For more information, call 503-329-8345.