Coming up on our 33rd year, and still going strong. Dennis Gage (“My Classic Car” TV) liked it so much he put it on his “Greatest Hits” tour in 2025. Check below or on YouTube for the episodes featuring our 2016 and 2025 shows.
Everything kicks off with the “Neon Cruise”, Friday evening, downtown The Dalles. It’s an “open” cruise, just like back in the day, so just show up and start showing off (NO burnouts however). Cruisin’ runs from 7 to 9:45pm. This is the favorite part of the weekend for many of the locals, and the sidewalks up and down 2nd and 3rd streets fill up with enthusiastic spectators. Several downtown businesses will be hosting special events during the cruise. You can also pre-register for the show and/or pick up your Goodie Bag and check out T-shirt/hat and raffle ticket sales at Burgerville on 3rd St. between 4 and 7 pm.
Then Saturday brings the “Show in the Shade”, on the grass in beautiful Sorosis Park, 300E Scenic Dr. Gate opens at 8am, judging until Noon, and the Parade of Champions awards ceremony beginning at 2pm. Goodie bags and dash plaques to the 1st 250 vehicles. $25 up to July 31, $30 after. 40+ awesome awards, food and specialty vendors, entertainment, oldies music, plenty of raffle prizes and an awesome live auction.
Finally, there’s the Dufur Threshing Bee Car Show, on Sunday in the Dufur Community Park, just 13 miles South of The Dalles, starting at 9am.
So, one day, two days or all three, how much fun do you want to have?
Kerry Lauritsen
President, Mid-Columbia Car Club
CRUISE THE GORGE 2026 VENDOR OPPORTUNITIES
We’re always looking for quality venders to take part in Oregon’s premier small-town car event, and we’d like you to consider putting us on your schedule.
Cruise the Gorge was launched over 30 years ago by members of the Mid-Columbia Car Club. It has grown from a modest one-day car show to an exciting weekend-long celebration of America’s love affair with the automobile. The main event is the “Show in the Shade” in beautiful Sorosis Park on Saturday. 300+ cars on the grass and thousands of spectators make for a full day of fun. Space rental has been reduced to just $30 to encourage more vendors to try out the event, and you can basically use as much space as you need. The show generates between $5,000 and $10,000 every year for Rotary and MCCC community service projects.
The “Neon Cruise” Friday evening also provides vendor opportunities via local downtown businesses.
Vendors: Contact Gwen at 541-993-1054 – To contact the Mid-Columbia Car Club, email midcolumbiacarclub@gmail.com
Thank You To Our Sponsors
The Club
The Mid-Columbia Car Club has over 100 member families from The Dalles and surrounding areas. The club provides a way for members to share and enjoy their love of the automobile, to cruise and socialize with one another in the beautiful area called the Columbia River Gorge.
Meetings
Are the third Tuesday of each month at Spooky’s Pizza in The Dalles (click for map). The meetings include a “social hour” at 5pm, with the business meeting following at 6pm.
Dues are $20 per year for a digital version of the newsletter, or $25 for a print version. To join, simply print and complete the attached membership form (Click here to download form) and mail it along with a $20 or $25 check to: Mid-Columbia Car Club, PO Box 327, The Dalles, OR 97058.
The CRUISER
The CRUISER, the official newsletter of the Mid-Columbia Car Club, is published monthly and emailed or mailed to the members. It includes a calendar of events, meeting minutes, a note from the Prez, flashback to the past, tech tips, classified ads and various other articles of interest. The editors are always looking for material, so everyone is encouraged to contribute.
Members also get regular email blasts of upcoming events around the Northwest.