Shade Tree Car Club, Smooth Impressions Car Club and Beckley Events are teaming up to offer neighborhood cruises that allow residents to watch from their home (window/porch/yard) as classic and interesting vehicles drive around their neighborhoods. The organizers hope that this is a way to spread good feelings in the community as many families are staying at home to follow the guidelines during the pandemic. Interested vehicle owners can meet in a parking lot to line-up for the cruise, but the owners must stay in their cars and use social distancing. The vehicles will ride around the neighborhood, like a parade. The cruise begins in a specified lot, and then, drivers can try to follow the route – everyone needs to follow all traffic laws and lights, as officers or volunteers will not be blocking intersections. If the cruise gets split up, just follow signs, balloons or the street list presented at the starting area. Neighborhood residents can enjoy watching the vehicles ride around the neighborhood during a specific time period (4:45-5:30pm), and residents are encouraged to wave and cheer.

The first trial cruise will take place this Saturday, May 2, around the Bowling Addition neighborhood in Beckley. Cruisers will line up between 4:00 and 4:30 pm at the Nazarene Church on Johnstown Road and the cruise will begin around 4:45 pm. The route may include part of Johnstown Road, left onto Vance Drive, to Mankin Ave to Wood Street, right on Orchard Street, onto Glenn Ave, Marion Street, Vine Street, Spring Street, back onto Orchard to Wood to Vance, thru traffic light to Russell Street, Lincoln Street to Johnstown to Garfield Street, briefly back on Russell and along Jefferson Street. Cruisers can determine if they want to continue to other streets from there. The weather forecast for this Saturday looks good, so it should be a nice day for the cruise.

Future Saturday cruise areas being considered may include Harper Road and Maxwell Hill neighborhoods, a Shady Spring to Little Beaver to Grandview tour, and streets near Park Middle School and along Kanawha Street. For more information, contact Beckley Events at 304-256-1776 or one of the car club leaders. Follow Beckley Events and the car clubs on Facebook for more details.

Also note that Raleigh County Emergency Departments are planning emergency vehicle parades on Friday, May 1. Beginning at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center, the vehicle will split into two groups – one going to Beckley ARH and the other to Raleigh General Hospital.

Contacts: Jill Moorefield, Beckley Events, 304-256-1776 or 304-222-3376

Stephanie French, Shade Tree Car Club, 803-546-5529

Jon Lilly, Smooth Impressions Car Club, 304-860-7866