Salisbury Downtown Cruisers

Salisbury Downtown

Explore the history of Salisbury Downtown Cruisers and our journey to success.

We started as social media group in 2016 founded by Jamie Troutman. The Facebook group, very much active today is dedicated to nostalgia relating to cruising in Salisbury N.C. during the decades spanning the late 1950's through late 1980's when cruising or "dragging town" was a "rite of passage" for youths. The group quickly gained a few thousand followers from 2016-2020.

During the Covid lock down of 2020, a member of the Facebook group posted an open invitation to anyone tired of the lock downs to meet him downtown on Friday and Saturday night with their cars to relive the good ole days.

The response from the community was overwhelming to say the least! It was like stepping back into time for a few months, back to 1985. People were actually socializing and enjoying each others company on the weekends. While unexpected the turnout that occurred, what was more unexpected was the support from the everyone.

City officials seemed to be in awe of the excitement surrounding it. People starting bringing out those stored away classic cars to enjoy them on the weekend and downtown Salisbury seemed to have awoke from decades of hibernation. Downtown Salisbury was alive with activity. Below are a few pictures of those nights in late summer of 2020.

The city and officials took notice however, efforts by a few members of the Facebook group that originally invited people out would fail to create a cruise in event like many cities around Salisbury enjoyed sadly did not work out. The turnout of cars and people would be short lived after only a few months in 2020 and with the start of 2021, the cruise in would be a small fraction of what it had been only a few months earlier.

In the summer of 2022, Doug Ray contacted Jamie Troutman, the founder of the group and discussed things that he felt needed to change. They teamed up together and decided to make changes with one of the first being reducing the two-night cruise in into a Saturday night only happening, in an effort to revive participation. This would later come to be known as the "Saturday Night Car Meet" in 2024.

Enjoying small but continued success each weekend, participation increased although slower than anticipated. Jamie and Doug kept things moving forward making progress. However, Doug knew they needed something more. He continued to fine tune the group and bring awareness during 2022, while looking to rekindle the relationships with city and county officials that had fallen apart years earlier and continuing to network with people and groups of similar interest.

The spring of 2023 would bring increased awareness and attendance from these efforts. By mid-summer 2023 Doug began working the Rowan County Board of Commissioners and City of Salisbury to organize an official cruise in "event", that would benefit the city, county and the community in downtown Salisbury on Main Street.

The group hosted its 1st Annual "Don't Hide 'em...Drive 'em" Car Cruise in on August 19th, 2023, to highly anticipated excitement from everyone. The event attracted 362 cars and attracted attendees from 3 states with an estimated 1500-2000 spectators, becoming the largest car event in the surrounding area.

With the help of car enthusiast from the social media group volunteering many who are now running day to day operations, the success of the event pushed the group to new heights. The Facebook group now has 3800 members.

In early 2024 Salisbury Downtown Cruisers Inc. was officially formed; a Board of Directors was installed and began operating as a non-profit organization serving the community. The organization is officially organizing and holding the 2nd Annual "Don't Hide 'em...Drive 'em" Car Cruise in on August 17th, 2024. The event now has different forms entertainment, celebrities along with a car show and occupies most of Main Street in downtown Salisbury.