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By Christopher Harris
What ' s the fuel that keeps the Somernites Cruise engine humming along each year ?
The ingredients are as follows : Nostalgia . Innovation . Community support . Special guests and displays . Dedication from an all-volunteer team .
And , of course , a healthy dose of hot rods .
Somerset ' s own classic and custom car show is back for its milestone 25th season and while many of the cars that come through the gates are twice that age or more , it ' s still longer than many involved could have dreamed for the show when it debuted in 2001 .
" It ' s our silver anniversary ," said Keith Floyd , executive director of Somernites Cruise . " It ' s hard to believe it ' s been 25 years since we started — a
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quarter of a century . Few events last that long doing them once a year , much less seven times a year , so that really puts things into perspective when you look at the total number of shows ."
Somernites Cruise takes place on the fourth Wednesday of every month , April through October , taking time off only for the colder months of the year . Come warmer weather , the engines fire up and people of all generations gather in downtown Somerset for the Saturday showcase , as well as the Friday Meet & Greet , currently held at Burnside ' s Cole Park , the Friday Night Thunder Block Party at the Somerset Mall , Saturday morning Fun Runs , and various other Somernites activities that are on the schedule , including the Somernites Cruise Jeep and 4X4 Nationals in
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October .
To make all this possible , the Somernites Cruise Team of roughly 60 volunteers gives countless hours and efforts to safely and effectively put on an event that the whole family can enjoy , with everything from food trucks to giveaways a regular part of the festivities .
" It ' s pretty remarkable that you ' ve got a group of men and women — faces have changed over the years some — who have
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been willing to invest their time and talents to help our community and make such an economic and cultural impact ," said Floyd . " It ' s pretty special ."
Indeed , Somernites ' economic impact is a roaring one — $ 10 million to $ 12 million annually , with the show impacting lodging businesses , gas stations , restaurants , retail stores , and even businesses like auto body repair , as visitors come from all over — not just in Kentucky but faraway states ; each month the person to travel the longest distance to get to Somernites Cruise is recognized .
" We ' ve had several businesses you wouldn ' t think ( the Cruise ) would impact always get a bump on those weekends because there ' s so many people in town ," said Floyd . " We ' ve had participants from 49 states and six foreign countries ."
Culturally , the impact reaches far beyond Pulaski ' s borders as well . " When we started , there was really nobody doing what we did , especially in the setting that we do , and we ' ve become the poster boy for what everybody wants to do ," said Floyd . "( Somernites Cruise is ) the blueprint for what many communities in Kentucky have tried to do
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