With the summer season approaching, Currie Motors Ford of Valpo is bringing back its Cruise Night series to residents of Northwest Indiana. On Friday, June 13, car and bike enthusiasts gathered together at the Porter County Expo Center to check out a collection of vintage and brand new models.
General Manager of Currie Motors Ford of Valpo, Leo Sfikas, appreciates how this annual tradition helps attendees of all ages become friends and learn more about each vehicle.
“These shows are great because they are free for everyone and it helps to bring so many like-minded people together in the car community,” Sfikas said. “You might go to a grocery store where you have a plastic surgeon in line in front of a plumber, and they don’t say a word to one another. We bring the same people here, whether it’s their first show or they’ve been to a dozen of them, and they become friends. We have plenty of sexy vehicles that come out here, and it’s always an exciting day for us.”
The most cars that have ever participated in one of the Currie Motors Ford of Valpo Cruise Night events is 409 cars. Sfikas is hoping that as the tradition continues to regain momentum in the coming years, they will one day be able to eclipse that number.
“We even have a spectator parking lot too for people that might not have brought a show car but want to check out all of the vehicles,” Sfikas said. “The most gratifying thing for us is watching these people interact with one another, because every car owner has a different story.”
Each year, Currie Motors Ford of Valpo selects a charity to sponsor for this event. This year, the organization is partnering with the Valparaiso Lions Club, a network of volunteers who devote their time to humanitarian causes involving the blind in their local and world communities.
President of the Valparaiso Lions Club, Greg Miller, is honored to have an opportunity to represent this organization at the car show.
“This is the first car show that we’ve done with these guys here,” Miller said. “We could never have done anything this without Currie Motors.”
As someone who has a history of owning unique cars, Miller hopes the attendees walk away having a memorable experience while also entering for the Lions Club raffle at the event. The raffle will include 1,000 tickets for a chance to win a brand new 2025 Ford Bronco, with the drawing for the winner taking place in October in the Currie Motors showroom.
“I used to have three classic cars of my own,” Miller said. “It’s a great opportunity to bring people together who have a passion for this stuff, and we’re hoping to sell a lot of tickets for the raffle.”
It didn’t take long for cars to fill the parking lot for the event. Once numerous vehicles arrived for the show, the remainder of the event was spent mingling with new friends and admiring all of the sweet rides that made an appearance.
“It’s always nice to see so many familiar faces here with a chance to reconnect,” Sfikas said. “We’re trying to do something positive for the people here, because we all love cars. That’s why we’re here. I've been in the auto industry for 38 years now, so these events never feel like work for me. Every day is like the auto show, and it’s very gratifying for us.”
While there isn’t an exact date for the next event, Sfikas is looking at hosting the next Currie Motors Ford of Valpo Cruise Night sometime in September.
Big D’s Eats provided food at the event. Adams Radio Group made an appearance to provide entertainment and opportunities for the attendees to win prizes for answering trivia questions.
