Tri-Fives for the finale: Somernites Cruise closes out 2023 season this weekend

Oct. 25—October is the time of year for "trick-or-treat" — a more festive way of saying boom-or-bust. Highs and lows. The extreme ends of the spectrum. The soon-to-conclude 2023 Somernites Cruise season has not fit this description.

"It's been a good season — just a good, basic, average season," said Keith Floyd, executive director of Somernites Cruise, of Year 23 for Somerset's classic and custom car show.

"The numbers are consistent," he said of the turnout the show has seen each from April to now, on the fourth Saturday of the month. "It's not been the worst, but over the last 10 years, it's probably been our third or fourth best. It's been a good year."

October marks the final month of the Somernites Cruise calendar before the event goes into hibernation for the winter once again, and the final Cruise of 2023 will take place this coming weekend, with the main downtown event on Saturday, October 28.

There, the theme will be a Somernites' classic: Tri-Five Chevys. Last year, the Cruise tried a more general "Back to the '50s" theme, but this time, it's back to being all about the iconic look known as the Tri-Five Chevrolet — featuring models from the years 1955, '56, and '57. For auto enthusiasts, the "Tri-Five" look is epochal, taking one immediately back to a certain point in history.

"When you're thinking of '50s nostalgia cars, it's what you think of," said Floyd. "You think of the big tailfin; it's the reason we use it as the logo for Somernites Cruise, because it's so iconic."

Of course, there are a few cars that are even more classic than that — like the Model A and Model T, which will be getting their own display for the first time. The original Model A was the first car produced by the Ford company, back in 1903, though the Model A produced between 1927 and 1931 is more relevant to car collectors today — for one thing, it has a roof. The Model T has gone down in history as the automobile that introduced such travel to most Americans, the first to be considered affordable to the middle class, and was made from 1908 to 1927.

"We're going back to some older vehicles," said Floyd. "They've always been welcome at the Cruise. We've done a bunch of special display through the years, whether it's station wagons or whatever, but we've never done the Model A and the Model T. That's really the start of the classic car, when people starting collecting cars years ago; in the '50s, they were collecting Model Ts. We just thought it was a great fit. It's fall, cool weather; those cars do better in cool weather."

One special area that is familiar to Somernites fans is this year's edition of the Lake Cumberland Volkwagen Jamboree, put on by the Central Kentucky VW Club.

"We're excited to have them back," said Floyd. "They always hold their show inside of our show. We're just proud to host them, and honored that they choose us to host their event."

One vehicle in particular may stand out from the rest — literally, standing on hay bales. The Hewitt Farms Hay Bale Monster Truck returns, making an ideal autumnal photo-op on the Fountain Square. The 1965 Chevy pickup was the brainchild of Dabney resident Paul Hewitt, and has been a hit at the Cruise in the past.

"Come by and get your picture in front of that with all the pumpkins and hay bales," said Floyd. "It makes a cool display."

All season long, people have been buying raffle tickets for a chance at a 2023 18-foot Gatormade Trailer or the 1971 Ford Mustang convertible, sponsored by Alton Blakley Ford. Those will be given away toward the end of Saturday's show, with the drawing for the trailer at 5:15 p.m. and the Mustang following that.

Online sales have ended, but tickets can still be bought at in-person Somernites events on Friday and Saturday, for $10 each. You don't have to be present to win; "We'll call you and listen to you scream and holler over the phone," said Floyd.

Somenites fun gets started this week on Thursday, with the annual Covered Bridges of Kentucky tour. Any Somernites Cruise-eligible vehicle can participate, and can leave from the Somerset Mall at 9 a.m. The cruise will take all day, scheduled to arrive back in Somerset at 6:30 p.m.

Visit the "Somernites Covered Bridges of KY Cruise!!" Facebook event page for more information on the five bridges that will be visited throughout the state.

"The fall colors are at their peak right now, so it's a great cruise," said Floyd. "It looks like it's going to be just a great event."

As usual, Friday features Somenites events all day starting at 10 a.m. with the Burnside Meet and Greet event for early bird arrivals at Burnside's Cole Park. Leave from there at 2 p.m. to run the Ky. 192 "Rattlesnake" scenic route, and come back to the Somerset Mall at 5 p.m. for the Friday Night Thunder Block Part, hosted by the mall and Don Franklin Family of Dealerships, which goes until 9 p.m. and features food, fun, entertainment, and of course cars.

The Saturday Morning Fun Run will take a trip to beautiful Cumberland Falls, for those who didn't go on the Rattlesnake Run the day before. Meet at the south Hardee's location (stoplight no. 22) at 8:30 a.m. for a free breakfast and set out at 9 a.m. for the scenic drive. Then get back in time for the start of the downtown Somerset main event at noon, lasting until 6 p.m.

Since it's almost Halloween, Floyd said cars at the Cruise Saturday are encouraged to bring candy and kids can come dressed up to go "Trunk-or-Treating" around the event — all Somernites trailers will have candy, and hopefully the various participants without the show will too.

"And if adults want to come dressed up, hey, it doesn't matter, that's okay too," noted Floyd.

With the season coming to a close, Floyd thanked the Cruise's numerous sponsors, City of Somerset, City of Burnside, and Pulaski County Government, and the various local tourism agencies, without whom the car show wouldn't be possible — but before getting too reflective on days gone by, Floyd is ready to make it all happen one more time in 2023.

"October is always just a good, fun, laid-back event," said Floyd. "Everybody's having a good time. When the weather is (ideal), it's great. It's the last gasp of the year. So we're excited to get through another year."