Cool nights, cool cars: Cruise night aficionados gather at brewery, Elks lodge to show off and chill

On a late summer afternoon, as the sun begins to grow heavier in the sky and commuters make their ways home from long days at work, they may notice a few unique classic cars whizzing by them. For the drivers of these cars, the day is only beginning, and when they see another retro vehicle on the road they know they’re both headed to the same place.

Every night in western Massachusetts is a cruise night, as long as you know where to go. Typically running from 5 p.m. until dusk throughout the summer and the beginning of fall, these events are part car show and part community get-together, and they fill whatever park, field, or parking lot that’s hosting them with colorful cars, upbeat music and local food vendors.

In the words of Louis LaFountain, a frequent local cruise night participant who spent four years restoring the 1964 Mustang he shows, “it’s a good time, especially when there’s a band.”

At Fort Hill Brewery in Easthampton, cruise nights were a pandemic pastime that quickly became a community favorite, and have made their return every year since then.

“We were just trying to think of a new activity to do during COVID,” said Fort Hill Brewery’s owner, Eric Berzins, who also hosts other kinds of what he calls “parking lot events” at the brewery, including 5k and half-marathon races, and “Barks and Brews” nights which welcome canine companions.

On cruise nights, Berzins said the brewery’s parking lot sometimes fills with more than 100 vehicles, attracting community members from Easthampton and beyond who want to enjoy cool beers and cooler cars. Not only does the crowd get to socialize and get up close with custom and classic cars, but they also get to play a large role in picking which vehicles take home prizes. One of Berzins’ favorite contests is the “People’s Choice” vote, which comes with a healthy dose of chaos.

“I encourage collusion, bribery, ballot-stuffing, whatever it takes to win,” he said. “I do give myself the right to veto any decision, but I’ve yet to veto any of their decisions.”

Berzins said part of his inspiration to start hosting cruise nights at Fort Hill Brewery came from the Northampton Elks Lodge’s cruise nights, which has become a popular evening destination for those who live in Northampton and those just passing through.

For Derek White, cruise nights at the Northampton Elks Lodge have become a favorite — it’s close to home, and always has a stunning array of vehicles on display. Like many cruise night participants, White didn’t simply buy his car from a dealership. Making his 1986 Jeep the formidable machine it now is took four years of time and effort.

“A good friend of mine bought a storage unit and this was in it,” said White, adding that only the bare bones of the car were present when he first laid eyes on it. “I basically built it from the ground up … It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it.”

Retired mechanic Bill Dugan said he’s had “a lot of cars” over the course of his life, but bringing his Corvette to the Northampton Elks Lodge cruise night and others in the area allows him to see new, interesting cars each week.

“It’s all the different cars, you see a variety of everything from hot rods to ‘60s and ‘70s cars to even newer ones,” he said. “Sometimes you need a toy, that’s what I call it.”

One car that always draws interest from Dugan and other enthusiasts at the Elks Lodge is Steve Moos’ red 1934 Plymouth Town Car, with a 1951 Lusse Auto Scooter hitched to the back. Moos doesn’t just take his Town Car to local events, he’s taken it all over the east coast, Canada, and even out to Chicago.

Moos fixed up the Town Car, Scooter and a red 1951 Ford COE after finding them on his travels. Now, he said his Town Car is even more comfortable than his regular vehicle, and he enjoys taking road trips in it to various cruise nights.

“It’s about going and meeting people, showing off what we do,” he said.

At every cruise night, fliers are circulated inviting participants and visitors to other cruise nights in the area. Many regular participants in the Northampton Elks Lodge cruise nights also frequent cruise nights at Buttery Brook Park in South Hadley, and they typically see several familiar faces when they do.

Alan Izatt has enjoyed getting to know the community of car lovers in western Massachusetts, showing off the kit car that he spent years building. He calls it “the big boy version of a model car.”

“The most fun part about it is seeing the craftsmanship that goes into building and restoring the cars,” he said.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.