Cruise the Gorge celebrates 32 years with record turnout

Organized by the Mid-Columbia Car Club, the event has grown from fewer than 100 entries in its early years to a multi-day celebration, drawing vehicles and spectators from across the Pacific Northwest. Highlights included the Friday night “Neon Cruise” through downtown, the Saturday “Show in the Shade” at Sorosis Park, and Sunday’s show in Dufur during the Threshing Bee.

“We had a record 400 cars and trucks registered for the show,” said Steve Hudson, a host of Cruise the Gorge.

The event’s history dates to 1982, when the club formed from an earlier antique car group and began calling the show “Cruise the Gorge” in 1993. The move to Sorosis Park in 1996, along with the launch of a Friday night cruise, helped establish its current format. Over the years, Cruise the Gorge has navigated venue changes, partnerships, a pandemic pause and even a pine beetle infestation at Sorosis Park, but has remained focused on providing a participant-centered experience.

Hudson recalls that first year when the cruise started. “Somebody said, ‘You know, the downtown is kind of natural for cruising,’” he said. “You don’t even have to tell people where to go.”

This year’s show also marked the return of TV host Dennis Gage, whose “My Classic Car” featured Cruise the Gorge in 2017 during Season 21, Episode 12. Gage, who will stop producing new episodes after the 2025 season, chose the event as one of only seven stops on his final encore tour.

“And, of course, we felt that that was quite a coup to have Dennis Gage from ‘My Classic Car’ come out to our little town show,” said Hudson. “It’s kind of a once in a lifetime deal. But last year, he got a hold of me and said he’s going to be doing the greatest hits tour, and that he had decided ours would be one of that shows on that tour.”

In an interview with Columbia Gorge News, Gage calls Sorosis Park “legendary,” reflecting one of the reasons for the return of his show.

“My show’s become almost as much a travel show as it is a car show,” he said, explaining why The Dalles was such a great location for him to revisit. “I’m always trying to shoot at nice places that are nice in and of themselves, and happen to have a great car show, too, and people plan their vacations around with the shows we shoot.”

He continued, “It’s [The Dalles] actually even nicer than I remember it.”

Gage then spoke about his show’s longevity and the milestone season currently in production. “I’m shooting the 30th season of my show. I’ve actually been on television longer than Gunsmoke … it is a record. It’s actually the longest continuous production show of its kind in U.S. television history.”

Dozens of awards were handed out during Saturday’s “Parade of Champions,” including top honors for vehicles such as a 1938 Lincoln Zephyr from Dexter, a 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air from Klamath Falls, and a 1934 Ford Tudor from Sherwood. Specialty awards recognized categories from muscle cars to rat rods, imports and utility vehicles, along with honors for long-distance travel and longest ownership.

The Mid-Columbia Car Club has more than 100 member families from The Dalles and surrounding communities. The group organizes cruises and other activities in the Columbia River Gorge.

The club meets the third Tuesday of each month at Spooky’s Pizza in The Dalles. A social hour begins at 5 p.m., followed by the business meeting at 6 p.m. For more information, visit MidcolumbiaCarClub.org.