OBSERVER File Photo Classic cars line up at Point Gratiot during last year’s Harbor Cruise.

An annual event is set to take over Point Gratiot Park on Sunday afternoon, as hundreds of special vehicles will arrive for guests to admire along the Lake Erie shoreline.

The Lake Shore Street Rod Association Harbor Cruise is set for Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m., at Dunkirk’s Point Gratiot Park. The event, which is free of charge, has displayed hundreds of vehicles from across New York State and beyond each year to foster a passion for classic automobiles.

“The cool part about this is we’re all community people. We’re all from the area. It’s a fun event to run to help the area out,” said Dale Davis, Vice President of Lake Shore Street Rods. “The community has a lot of fun, the car owners and enthusiasts have fun … and you bring in people from out of the area.”

Davis has been affiliated with the Street Rods for approximately a decade, with time as an event coordinator, as well. “There’s a lot of groundwork with all of these events,” Davis said.

While the event comes together every year, it is not a quick and easy process. Davis stated the planning each year begins in January, with sponsorships and distribution of flyers coming together months before the event. Coordination with the city of Dunkirk and its grounds crews assist with the event, as well.

Sunday’s event will follow the same format as a year ago, with hopes for better weather this time around. Still, even in the poor weather last year, the event was well-attended.

“Last year was a little smaller because we started out with the weather on shaky ground, but as it was, we still had a strong turnout. Hopefully this year, if Sunday holds up, we’ll have a huge one,” Davis said.

At Sunday’s event, prize raffles and a 50/50 raffle will be held throughout the afternoon. The event will also feature live music by HooMan and D.J. Ray The Fat Man Heron. Food vendors will be on site, including a chicken barbecue by Mike Porpiglia.

The Harbor Cruise does not require a fee upon entry, as opposed to many other car shows. The Lake Shore Street Rods Association does not take a profit from its annual event. Instead, guests are encouraged to offer donations to local causes.

For the third straight year, the Harbor Cruise will benefit Dunkirk-Fredonia Meals on Wheels and the Chautauqua County Veterans Endowment Fund. More than $10,000 has been raised for the causes two years ago, with several thousand added last year, as well, despite poor weather impacting the turnout.

The Harbor Cruise is one of many fundraisers the association holds each year, with the proceeds from each of the shows the group attends donated to local causes. The Lake Shore Street Rods Association also held a Cruise-In event at the Sheridan VFW Post 6390 in August of 2022 to benefit local veterans’ programs.

The Lake Shore Street Rod Association was founded more than five decades ago by a group of seven individuals who shared their love of automobiles. Dan Salerno, the last surviving member of the group, previously told the OBSERVER, “I never thought it would last this long. … I’m glad it has. I hope after I’m gone, it keeps going.”

The annual event has been held at the Conservation Club and the County Fairgrounds in the past, before making Point Gratiot its home.

“It should be a pretty good event. We always have a lot of vendors. It’s fun to walk around and get something to eat, something to drink, listen to some music and enjoy the cars,” Davis said.

Major sponsors for the event include Shults Resale Center Dunkirk; The Ark Shop – Arkwright Printing Co. Inc.; Zambotti Collision; Fredonia Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram; Fredonia Ford Inc.; and Allegeny-Erie Inc.