Each Saturday morning dozens of car & truck enthusiasts gather at Wegmans Plaza on Rt. 57 in Liverpool to share coffee, Danish and conversation. Now in its 6th year, “CNY Cars ‘n Coffee” attracts car buffs from Watertown to Binghamton and Herkimer to Waterloo.
It was in 2011 when talk of doing a morning car cruise started with a few members of the Syracuse Shelby Mustang Club. It was too late in the season for this particular year, but talk continued to try for the following year.
Discussion of location, time and what weekend day would be best. Once said and done the first morning car cruise in this area, “CNY Cars ‘n Coffee” was in May of 2012. “Our first year was questionable as about 15-25 cars was our max,” said Don Stillwell, one of the organizers. Their second year they moved out front of the supermarket and each week the car count continued to grow. For the first three years the start time was at 7:30 in the morning, however morning cruisers would be waiting for the Cars ‘n Coffee crew to set up. On year four, the decision was made to start at 7:00 am and go to about 10:30 am. Since then, the early riser cruisers have been flocking to Cars ‘n Coffee in full force each Saturday from April to the end of September.
April 29th of this year Cars ‘n Coffee was the first car cruise of the season in the Central New York area. The weather was overcast as few sprinkles padded the pavement in the morning, however cruisers waited all winter to get out and socialize. Over 150 vehicles showed up for this initial Saturday morning cruise. Mike brought his 1923 Model T and Chuck brought his 2017 ten day old Fiat 124 Spider, while cars and trucks from nine decades were represented. This parking area filled nicely with a contingent of Mustangs that often corral together, a cluster of Challengers & Mopars gathered near the shade trees, and an assembly of Corvettes grouped themselves together towards the top of the parking lot. All other makes and models filled in the spaces between the parking lot lines. Since the inception of CNY Cars ‘n Coffee all cars/trucks have been invited; vintage, classic, new age, tuners and a hand full of motorcycles stop to enjoy a cup of coffee and chat with the car enthusiasts.
Each week a 50/50 raffle is done where the proceeds benefit local non-profit charities, door prizes are given out along with car show schedules, flyers and even automotive related magazines are exchanged. Other than the Saturday of the Syracuse Nationals you can find 200 or more vehicles right until the end of September. Usually once a year a cruise to another location after Cars ‘n Coffee to have lunch is scheduled.
You can check out their Facebook page at “CNY Cars and Coffee.” For more information about car cruising, as well as car shows in the greater Central New York area go to www.cnycca.org.
Words by Mike Mastracco