SALEM - Whether to remove cars from East State Street between Ellsworth and Lincoln avenues during the two cruise parades became an issue during the meeting for the Quaker City Weekend Cruise in city hall on Wednesday.
The event, which is being organized and promoted by the city, is scheduled for June 24-27 in Salem.
Twenty-one people attended the meeting.
The weekend will begin Thursday night at the Dunkin' Donut Store on East State Street where a disc jockey will provide music. There will also be a radio-controlled airplane show at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Salem Plaza.
Official registration to gain access to the main parking lot East Pershing Street across from Timberlanes and to be eligible for prizes, will be held at the Home Depot Store on East State St.
There is no fee to register and there is no registration for cruising.
Dash plaques will go to the first 400 cars registered along with goody bags.
Jim Bonfert, a longtime hot rodder and drag racer, is handling registration.
"Out of towners just need to ask where Home Depot is," he said.
The two parades, beginning at Quaker City Raceway, will be Friday at 6 p.m. for show cars and 6 p.m. Saturday for motorcycles.
State Street will be closed off until the parades conclude and open cruising will follow each night.
Tom Hall of Lisbon, a cruiser, asked about a parking ban on State Street during the parades and Steve Andres, the city service safety director who is ochestrating the event, said Police Chief Bob Floor declined doing that noting the cars acted as a buffer.
Andres said the stores are open and Hall said they close at 5 p.m.
But it would take time to remove the cars and Hall said, "I can't see a parade with cars parked along the street."
Someone said, "No one's going to stop and pull a hole shot on State Street."
Andres said he would speak to the chief and said he and the fire chief would be asked to attend the next meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. March 24.
"I will work on the police chief, but he said 'no,'" Andres said.
The parade route will run from the Steel Valley Super Nationals which will host World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Bret "The Hitman" Hart and female wrestling Diva Tammy "Sunny" Sytch for autograph signings on Sunday, June 27.
It will turn on state Route 14 and head east on West State Street and pick up cars and motorcycles not at the raceway at Jennings Avenue.
It will proceed through downtown and conclude at Donnell Ford. Signs will mark the route and keep visitors updated along the route each day.
The city is selling advertising now and space is available on signs and in a QCWC brochure by calling city hall at 330-332-4241.
Andres said Lisko Amusement will be setting up a dozen rides in the Salem Plaza on the preceding Tuesday, and a contingent of port-a-jons will be disbursed while signs need to be put up and taken down through the weekend.
He said anyone wanting to volunteer to help with that is welcome.
Greg Oesch, deputy safety director, said, "We've got to do a lot of sign flipping and checking every half-hour to make sure no one takes the signs for souvenirs."
One meeting guest asked about putting events on the Web site but Andres said the city site was "boring," labeling it a "crummy Web site" but noted the event is getting publicized on Big Al's Web site and the Cruisin' Times Web site while the SVSN Web site will list the QCWC there.
Patty Colian asked about the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce's Web site and Andres said there were three local Web sites that popped up when searched and they needed to be coordinated.
The group discussed advertising and rates and Andres said Deanne Johnson, "professional photographer," will set up and take vehicle photos in a local shop.
"We're working on that," he said, adding they were still waiting for word from the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company regarding blimp flyovers along with a navy flyover. He said they were also looking for a place to land "two big helicopters."
"We need a place, I don't know where," he said.
Bonfert said in addition to the dash plaques given to participants he wanted an "event badge" for spectators that could be sold.
"I think they would really take off," he said, adding that unlike the black and white event T-shirts he wanted some color, the word Salem instead of "Quaker City" and a commemorative date.
"I'd sooner see Salem rather than Quaker City," he said, "this is Salem."
Oesch said no date was fixed to the T-shirts and women's tank tops this year in case they didn't sell out.
"That was done for a reason," Oesch said, "we can sell them again next year."
The shirts are for sale now in city hall for $12 each.
Bonfert also cautioned the group against trying to do too many things.
"We're going to get graded," he said and asked about additional T-shirts if the ones already made sell out. Andres said they can get them on short notice.
East Pershing Street will remain open this year while Penn Avenue will be closed from just north of the post office and Italian American Club.
The Stadium Super Store will host a "burn-out pit" again this year and the Salem Historical Society said its Trolley is available for rent at a reasonable rate for public transit.
Larry Shields can be reached at lshields@salemnews.net
