150 classic cars lined Silver Lake Boulevard to benefit wounded warriors

Classic car enthusiasts and hundreds of villagers turned out for Silver Lake’s annual Cruisin’ the Boulevard event.

Cars of all makes, models and vintages lined up all along Silver Lake Boulevard on Sunday, Sept. 18, to claim their spot in the fundraising festival, which supports the Wounded Warrior Project.

With perfect weather for a classic car show, convertibles were open-topped and hoods held high to display highly polished chrome and engines.

Organized by Silver Lake residents Scott and Brandi Croghan, the event has been running for eight years, though they had to skip 2020 because of the pandemic.

The couple brought together Scott’s love of classic cars and their desire to bring the community together in a shared experience. Scott is the proud owner of a pair of Pontiac GTOs — a 1966 he has owned since 1987 and a 1964 convertible he bought to honor his father, who had loved driving the same model.

Starting with just 30 cars the first year, the event has continued to grow.

“This year, we had about 150 cars in attendance and the spectator turnout was at an all-time high, which was incredible,” Brandi said. “The show is open to everyone and is totally free for spectators. Silver Lake is the perfect venue for a car show, as the view of the lake is beautiful and it is a great backdrop to display some very beautiful and classic cars.”

The Cruisin’ the Boulevard event has become a fixture in the village calendar. It has the full support of Mayor Bernie Hovey and is sponsored by car dealer Don Sitts.

“Don had told us in our first year not to be discouraged if we only had five cars, as car shows can be very difficult to get off the ground,” Brandi said. “But we had 30 that first year and were very excited.”

This year’s show raised more than $2,500 for the Wounded Warrior Project, a cause close to the Croghans’ hearts. Scott served as a pilot in the United States Air Force for 24 years, flying C-130s around the globe, including 113 combat missions in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan, and touring 60 different countries.

Also featured at the Cruisin’ the Boulevard show were awards and trophies for cars, a Swenson’s food truck, live music, a 50/50 raffle, and a coffee and doughnut stall run by the girls in Silver Lake’s own Scouts BSA Troop 7153.

“We have a lot of neighborhood volunteers who help us put on the show, and it is just a fun day for families from across Northeast Ohio,” Scott said. “It is always so much fun to see the community come together.”