Yes, the Mayor’s Summer Cruise is still a go on Saturday despite ongoing road work in Festus, said Barb Lowry, the city’s director of recreation and tourism.
The event begins at 2 p.m. with a display-only vehicle show on the Festus Public Library parking lot, 400 W. Main St. Then, vehicles will cruise along Main Street beginning at 6 p.m.
Lowry said she has been battling misinformation about the event on social media for weeks.
“I guess (some other group) set up their own events page saying they were going to be at the (Mayor’s Summer Cruise) and later canceled,” she said. “They canceled whatever they had going on. It wasn’t anything to do with us. As far as the city goes, there was never any doubt the Mayor’s Summer Cruise was going to be on the first Saturday in June.”
The next bit of misinformation posted about the event was even more troubling, she said.
“There is no cost to enter a vehicle in the (car show), but we had a posting on the event and someone – scammers – posted something to contact them directly to sign up. There is no signup needed. These people are lying and trying to steal from (car show participants),” Lowry said. “There is no fee to display a vehicle.”
People are encouraged to enter their rides in the show or take part in the cruise, or both, Lowry said.
“You can bring any kind of vehicle that is legal and licensed,” she said.
Spectators are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and sit along Main Street sidewalks to watch the vehicles cruise by.
“Even when the cruise is going on, people have their vehicles parked on the parking lot,” Lowry said. “We will have a DJ on the parking lot from 2 to 8 p.m.”
The Mayor’s Summer Cruise and the Mayor’s Fall Cruise have proven popular over the years, bringing people to the downtown area, she said.
“We hope people patronize the establishments on Main Street during the cruise,” she said.
The city of Festus and the Festus Tourism Commission team up to sponsor the event.
For more information, go to the Festus website at festusmo.gov, click the Around Town link and go to Mayor’s Summer Cruise. Or, visit the Mayor’s Summer Car Show & Cruise Facebook event page.