Clinton Township’s Gratiot Cruise canceled due to COVID-19 concerns

Wall That Heals, Festival of the Senses still a go
 
CLINTON TOWNSHIP – Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon announced today the cancelation of the Township’s annual Gratiot Cruise, scheduled for Sunday, August 2. It would have been the eighteenth year in a row for the car cruise event that draws thousands of spectators and participants.
 
“The fact that more than 200,000 people from all over the region attend the Gratiot Cruise is why the decision was made to cancel this year,” said Cannon. “We can’t take a chance bringing that many people to crowd together with the unpredictable nature of the coronavirus and the Governor’s executive orders to social distance and stay safe,” he said.
 
All is not lost, however. On August 2, the Gratiot Cruise Committee still plans to hold its annual classic car show with social distancing in the parking lot of the McLaren Macomb building on the southeast corner of Gratiot Avenue and Metro Parkway. Along with the car show, the committee plans to schedule their pre-cruise events during the week leading up to August 2. Check for more information on the Gratiot Cruise website at www.ctgratiotcruise.com.
 
“All of us who support the Cruise will miss what has become a big, summertime family event,” said Cannon. “The barbeques, the parties, the fun zone for kids – there is nothing like the sight and sound of seeing those classic cars rolling up and down Gratiot.”
 
Although the coronavirus pandemic has led to the cancelation of other large-scale events in Clinton Township, namely the annual fireworks show and concert in the park, Cannon said he’s optimistic that the two-day Festival of the Senses Art Fair will take place as expected on September 26 and 27.
Also, Cannon is looking forward to the arrival of The Wall That Heals, a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial scheduled for set-up on the Civic Center grounds from July 14 to July 19.

Since its beginning in 2003, the Gratiot Cruise takes place on the first Sunday of August. It began as a small car event, attended by less than 20,000 people, and supported by about ten businesses. Today, the Cruise has grown into one of Macomb County’s most anticipated summer events, drawing more than 200,000 people and supported by about 100 businesses.