Roselle expands Cruise Night

Back after popular demand, Roselle's Cruise Night hits the street again this week.

This time, the event will be twice as big. And that's a good thing for downtown, some local business owners say.

"People came from all over. … There were a lot of residents who came to show their cars, but people from other suburbs came as well," said Phyllis Cichon, owner of How Sweet It Is Ice Cream and Candies.

Last year's Friday night events were contained to the parking lot of Cichon's business at 35 E. Main Street.

This year, organizers wanted to open up the event to more cars -- and more foot traffic to patronize businesses that stay open late for the crowds.

Main Street will be closed from just east of Roselle Road to just west of Park Street. Prospect Street also will be closed around the railroad tracks just north and south of Main Street, said Village Administrator Jeff O'Dell.

"We'll have more cars -- and hopefully more people, too," said Glenn Rygel, cruise night coordinator. "Last year, we had room for about 65 cars. ... With the addition of Old Main Street this year, we'll have another 50 spots."

Roselle Trustee Joe Devlin suggested moving the event farther east along Main Street so Prospect Street could remain open.

"The thing I was concerned about was the possibility of people getting to different businesses and the traffic," Devlin said. "I'm not opposing the car thing. I'm concerned about how it might be interfering with other businesses if we are closing streets."

But Cichon says having the event as close as possible to businesses like hers is a bonus for local shops.

"Anything that helps bring people into town helps us out," she said.

The event is sponsored by dozens of local businesses.

Rygel said the streets remained open on the very first cruise night last year. But portions were closed after that for safety reasons.

"If cars are parked on both sides and families are looking at cars … you worry about kids running across the street and looking at the other cars."

Car collectors will show off their classics from 6 to 9 p.m. on Fridays May 23 through Sept. 26. The show will be suspended during the Taste of Roselle. On July 4, organizers hope it will attract people looking for something to do before going to see fireworks.

Admission is free.

Weekly entertainment will include Flashback '50s DJ, which sets up with the front end of a '57 Chevy. There also will be face-painting, giveaways and trivia contests. Some weeks also will feature live entertainment.

"There's always some form of entertainment," Cichon said. "This is somewhere you can take your family -- and, realistically, you don't even have to spend any money."

If you go

What: Roselle's Cruise Nights

Where: Downtown Roselle, roughly one block south of Irving Park Road and one block east of Roselle Road.

When: 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays May 23 through Sept. 26 except for Aug. 1 during the Taste of Roselle

Cost: Free

Road closures: Main Street from just east of Roselle Road to just west of Park Street, Roselle. Prospect Street around the tracks, just north and south of Main Street.