FARGO - After 10 years, Cruisin' Broadway is no more. Car enthusiasts can rest easy, though, because a new event is planned in its stead.
"Cars and Coffee" will take place on a monthly basis on Sunday mornings in a downtown Fargo parking lot south of First Avenue North near the Red River, beginning in May.
The event is the result of feedback the Downtown Community Partnership had been receiving regarding Cruisin' Broadway and the issues it was causing in downtown Fargo, DCP Communication Coordinator Sam Olson said.
"We realized that Cruisin Broadway had just run its course," Olson said.
The original aim of Cruisin' Broadway was to attract people to downtown on Thursday - a notoriously slow night - but lately, the event began competing with a thriving downtown scene, Olson said.
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When Jake Joraanstad joined the DCP board, he suggested the organization take over "Cars and Coffee," which has built a substantial following during the last year but struggled to find a consistent space.
Olson said the DCP was excited to combine efforts to create a new event for car enthusiasts, especially on another notoriously slow day for downtown. In addition, the event aims to attract visitors to an area of downtown not always frequented.
The city of Fargo has agreed to allow its lot north of First Avenue North to become public parking, while much of Third Street south of First Avenue North will be used for displaying cars. Featured vehicles will be shown in the United Automotive TechCenter lot west of Third Street.
The free event will likely last from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and feature muscle cars, classics and tuner cars. Coffee will be offered free of charge once a sponsor is secured, and food vendors will be brought in to offer breakfast and lunch fare during the event.
In addition, Fargo police will have a vehicle on display during the event. Olson said the invitation was extended to the department as a step toward creating a positive relationship between police officers and the car community.
"We're excited to get a dialogue going with the police at an event that isn't under the cover of darkness," Olson said. "We are literally and figuratively shedding light on the car community through this new event."
Cars and Coffee is scheduled for a test run Sunday, April 23. Organizers hope to schedule the event for the first Sunday of the month beginning in May to run through September or October, weather permitting.
Cars and Coffee is not expected to compete with the West Fargo Cruise Nights, but instead offer the "motoring" enthusiast crowd another event in the area, Olson said.
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As a car guy himself, Joraanstad said he is excited to see the event offer an opportunity for enthusiasts to show off their work and share their love of all things cars. His company, Myriad Motorsports, will also be a supporter of the event.
While the Cars and Coffee events that took place over the past year have drawn anywhere from 150 to 200 cars, Joraanstad looks forward to seeing how the event will grow with the backing of the DCP and the city of Fargo.
Interstate Parking and United Automotive Tech Center are also supporting the event.
