Car Shows, Boardwalk Parades Highlight Cruisin'

OCEAN CITY - The 10^th Annual Endless Summer Cruisin' 2007 outdoor street rod and hot rod enthusiast event kicked off yesterday in Ocean City.

As always, Ocean City's Inlet parking area is the featured location for the event, which features 1,500 hot rods, street rods, and custom cars joined by an additional 1,000-plus 'guest cruisers' that will roam Ocean City's Coastal Highway, Boardwalk and surrounding roads.

Endless Summer Cruisin' 2007 will host some of the largest automotive-based and family-themed sponsor exhibits in the nation including State Farm Insurance, ATI Transmission Products, Club Land'or Bahamas Vacations, Continental North America's 'Safely There' interactive simulator, Flowmaster Performance Exhausts, Miller Electric Welding/Keen Compressed Gas and more.

Endless Summer Cruisin' 2007 special activities include State Farm's 'Good Neighbor Cruisin' Parade' that takes place along the Boardwalk from 7:30-10 a.m. daily through Saturday Oct. 6.

The Inlet's main stage will feature DJ Tim Beasley spinning rock and roll favorites from the 50's & 60's all four days. The always popular final award ceremonies will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7, with live on-stage sponsor awards and trophy presentations, automotive and pop culture trivia contests, give-aways, and great door prizes for participants and spectators alike.

Hours for the Inlet festivities are Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission is $10 each day or $30 for a four-day pass. Children under 14 free with a paid adult.

The Maryland State Lottery will be on hand with free scratch-off tickets and special prizes. Country radio station 105.9 Cat Country will be hosting broadcasts from the event. Courtney Hansen, host of Spike TV's 'Powerblock', will be a special guest on Saturday and Sunday and will be available for autographs and photo opportunities. Singer Mook Jones will perform live on the Inlet's main stage Friday and Saturday. Miller Electric Welding's one-of-a-kind 75^th anniversary Harley-Davidson motorcycle from TV's •€˜American Chopper' will be on display inside the huge Miller Electric/Keen Gas exhibit area.

'Endless Summer Cruisin' 2007's participant registration and event sponsorship has continued it's astounding increase again in 2007,' said Special Event Production's Jack Hennen. 'State Farm Insurance's addition to our fall classic has exceeded even our most optimistic sponsor partnership goals.'