Crusin’ Main Street

Tribute to “American Graffiti”

Written by George Lucas and Gloria Katz, Universal Pictures and Lucasfilm released American Graffiti in August 1973, a film featuring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, but also Harrison Ford and Mackenzie Phillips.

A couple of high school grads spend one final night cruising the strip with their buddies, before they go off to college. It’s the proverbial end of the summer 1962 in a small southern California town. Curt, who received a lucrative local scholarship, is seen as the promise that their class holds …

43 years ago, American Graffiti was probably playing in a theater near you –  and you sure didn’t want to miss it. In one of those movie theaters, you probably would have found a few of the active participants (and some of the onlookers as well) of this Ramona American Graffiti Cruise night.

Ramona American Graffiti Cruise Night

It started on April 7th and will most likely last into September, drivers of classic and newer rides meet on Thursday night at Ron’s Tire & Brake (Etcheverry / Main street). Their route goes up east on Main Street to Sixth Street, where they typically turn to make their way back toward Denny’s (Letton / Main street), where they loop around and repeat the route.

Nearby cities (El Cajon on Wednesday,  La Mesa on Thursday, Escondido on Friday) have a Cruise Nite as well, but there, cars are parked for viewers to appreciate. In Ramona, cars are cruising and there aren’t any age requirements, older and newer cars participate.