newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2010-05-26/Front_Page/Kruise_Nite_to_kick_off_Freehold_summer_events.htmlKruise Nite to kick off Freehold summer events
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — Warmer months in Downtown Freehold offer ambiance, outdoor cafe dining, strolls along the Main Street promenade, concerts, and a return to the era of old-time rock and roll.
Downtown Freehold returns to the 1950s and 1960s with Kruise Nite, presented by 33 East Car Wash, on the last Thursday of the month from May through August. Entertainment and classic cars will fill the streets in the borough.
May 27 will mark the return of Kruise Nite in 2010. Classic cars will be on display along Main Street and in the Monmouth County Hall of Records parking lot between Main and Lafayette streets. Kruise Nite will run from 5-10 p.m.
Freehold Borough’s Kruise Nite began in September 1990 and the event has grown each year, according to Pete Zaklukiewicz, who is the treasurer and a member of the Freehold Kruisers Car Club, one of the groups that started the event.
The event was founded to raise money to help feed the hungry, according to Zaklukiewicz, who said he will be on hand along with other officers of the club, President Roy Sperling, Vice President Chet Boywitt and Secretary Anne Marie Lutz to participate in all the fun.
“I take off from work every Kruise Nite,” Zaklukiewicz said, adding that he wants to make sure he gets his parking space right up front where all the action takes place.
He said he still owns and drives a 1951 Ford Business Coupe that he bought used in 1966. He said that he, like many other people in the 1950s and 1960s, enjoyed fixing cars and making them go faster.
“That’s how it was then. You can’t do that too much anymore with today’s cars though,” he said with a laugh.
This year a special area will be set aside for a Corvette Club. The parking lot on Lafayette Street behind the Hall of Records parking lot will be available for Corvette owners to gather.
Zaklukiewicz acknowledged that visitors to Kruise Nite are generally older adults. He said it does not seem that many young people are into older cars these days.
“That’s why when I see a younger person pulling into the lot with an older car I comment on how wonderful it is to see their interest in antique cars,” he said.
The summer of 2010 in Freehold Borough will also feature the return of the popular Freehold Idol competition, now in its fourth year. The competition, presented by the Monmouth Academy of Musical Arts, Marlboro, is ready for future rockers, folk singers, rhythm and blues, and country stars to line up and be heard.
“The crowd that Freehold Idol attracts each week keep growing larger and larger,” said Richard Gatto, the CEO of Downtown Freehold, which coordinates events in the borough. “People just love to hear live singing talent. We even had to move the competition to a larger outdoor venue to accommodate the singers and our guests.”
The Freehold Idol showcases take place every Wednesday from June 2 through Aug. 11 from 7-9 p.m. at the Monmouth County Hall of Records pavilion, Main Street. There are three age groups for the competition: 10-14; 15-22; and 23-and-over.
Awards for each group’s top singer is a first prize of $500, plus free studio recording time at Monmouth Academy of Musical Arts. Second-place and third-place prizes are also presented.
The weekly winners of the contest will then compete against one another for the grand prize. The Freehold Idol finale is scheduled to be held on Aug. 18 for the younger contestants (ages 10-14 and 15-22) and on Aug. 25 for the 23-and-over contestants.
Thursdays will continue to rock in Downtown Freehold with concerts in July and August from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Monmouth County Hall of Records parking lot.
The scheduled includes:
July 1, The Nerds.
July 8, Music of the Four Seasons featuring the Jersey Four.
July 15, Music of U2 featuring U2 Nation.
July 22, Music of Fleetwood Mac featuring Tusk.
Aug. 5, Music of Jimmy Buffett featuring Jimmy and the Parrots.
Aug. 12, Mission Dance — Freehold’s hometown band.
Aug. 19, Music of the Beatles featuring Beatles Faux Sale.
On Friday and Saturday nights live music will be featured at the gazebo on Main Street from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
A July Fourth celebration sponsored by Coors Light will offer a fireworks extravaganza at Freehold Raceway. Rain date is July 5. Gates at the raceway will open at 5:30 p.m. July 4.
Downtown Freehold will offer a farmers market with fresh fruits and vegetables every Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the Monmouth County Hall of Records from July 9 through Oct. 15.
Returning sponsors for Downtown Freehold events are Metropolitan Café, Court Jester, New Jersey Natural Gas, Coors Light, 33 East Car Wash, Nestle USA, Gold Protective Systems, Greater Media Newspapers, CentraState Health Care System and Stillwell-Hansen Inc. New sponsors this year are Café 360, Freehold Savings Bank and Monmouth Academy of Musical Arts.
