BY JOLENE HART
Staff Writer
SOUTH RIVER — Cruise Night arrives in the borough tonight at 5 p.m., promising cars, crowds and commotion in the downtown area.
The event marks the start of Cruise Night’s third year in South River, noted Scott Laffin of Laffin Chevrolet Oldsmobile, one of the event’s organizers.
Past cruise nights have been met with enthusiastic crowds of between 7,000 to 10,000, organizers said.
Residents can expect Ferry and Main streets — from Jackson Street to the Sayreville/South River Bridge — to be closed throughout the evening.
About 300 cars and 150 motorcycles are expected. Trophies will be awarded to outstanding classic cars, compact cars and motorcycles.
A live band is scheduled to perform, along with entertainment by a local radio station. Most businesses plan to be open late, and vendors will be selling food for those in attendance.
Laffin said he feels the attraction is favorable for business owners, even with the temporary inconveniences related to blocked streets and increased traffic.
"This gets people out to see what we have to offer," Laffin said. "And they’re likely to come back."
Skeeter Spitaleri, owner of Spitaleri Furniture on Ferry Street, is another Cruise Night organizer who helped bring the event to South River with local resi-dent Peter Guindi.
"This day and age, malls are the destination. This brings people back to the town," he said. "In food alone, in our downtown we’ve got Brazilian, Thai, Mexican, Portuguese, seafood — it’s amazing," said Spitaleri.
Despite complaints raised in the past, Spitaleri feels that 85 to 90 percent of South River residents and business owners are supportive of Cruise Night, and said he gets a lot of favorable feedback from customers who come into his business.
Spitaleri said that Cruise Night has piqued a local fascination with classic cars and has even helped him to "get back into an old interest in cars," which led him to work on restoring a Ford Mustang.
Spitaleri said he will be at the event tonight with his Harley-Davidson.
"Mine is the big red one with the most chrome on it," Spitaleri said.
Cruise Night will be held every third Thursday from May through September. The event runs from 5 to 9:30 p.m. and is sponsored by the borough and the South River Economic Development Commission.