‘Last Cruise’ Honors an American Automobile Tradition

When the State College borough passed an ordinance that banned “cruising” three decades ago, the town decided to have one last cruise.

That happened in 1985, and that Last Cruise is still taking place on a yearly basis to benefit the Centre County Youth Services Bureau.

For one day a year, State College ignores its ban on cruising and allows car owners to slowly lap Beaver Avenue and College Avenue after a daylong car show.

“It began when the State College borough outlawed cruising around downtown,” says Andrea Boyles, the CCYSB’s chief executive officer. “At that time, a local radio station in town got this idea to have this one final cruise around downtown. They did that 30 years ago, and it’s still happening today.”

The Last Cruise features a “best of the best” car show that’s invitation-only, accepting only the most successful and pristine car show vehicles in 10 different classes. Participants compete for a $500 “best of the best” prize and three prizes for each class.

“There are a lot of cruises and car shows and this was a way to do something different, to try and pull some cars from outside this area and get some people to come to town,” Boyles says.

The CCYSB team pours over photos and histories of cars to decide which are the best applicants. While the competition is fierce, it’s all for a good cause, raising money for an organization that runs 14 community and family-based programs to ensure that county youth fulfill their potential for growth and development.

“We expect to raise about $24,000 and that comes largely through sponsorship,” Boyles says. “We’ve had some great turnout since we’ve been on Allen Street. We see a lot of folks take the time to come downtown and look around, which is our goal. We want to be able to interact with people and tell them about our mission.”

The Last Cruise provides an opportunity for the organization to get its name out there and help fund its programs, but it also allows car owners to share their hobby with the masses.

“It’s an opportunity for families to talk about their history and what mom and dad drove when they were 16 and what grandpa drove back in the day,” Boyles says. “It’s also a way for people to talk about their hobby and passion and how much work they put in to get their car ready for the show.”

The Sunday event starts with the car show at 1 p.m. on Allen Street, running a few blocks down from College Avenue. From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Williamsport-based oldies band Top Shelf will perform, and that will be followed by the award ceremony. The event concludes with the quintessential cruise around downtown from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., which is open to the public.