Ramona American Graffiti Cruise in the Estates - Rain or Shine

Thursday, August 1, was the second cruise night of the season through the Estates. An hour before the cruise, a severe thunderstorm warning was issued, but that didn’t stop several drivers. Cruisers started up their engines and continued with the route that was planned for SDCE residents to enjoy.

Ramona American Graffiti Cruise Night runs from April through September, and there are generally two cruises through the Estates during the season. The first one was held in May. The San Diego Country Estates Cruise starts at the old Kmart parking lot, where participants gather with their vehicles. Leroy Clubb, a founding member and event organizer, arrives at about 5 pm to set up, and the cruise takes off at 6 pm.

“Cruise night started in 2013 and grew from there,” said Clubb, Ramona American Graffiti Cruise organizer. “It’s our 11th year.” It started out with eight or ten people, and one of them, Ramona American Graffiti Cruise member Jerry Keller, suggested they do cruise night on Thursdays and call it Ramona American Graffiti Cruise. “There were half a dozen of us then,” says Clubb.

Cruise night through San Diego Country Estates started during COVID to give people a chance to see the cruisers in their neighborhoods. Residents could walk out into their front yards and maintain social distancing while enjoying the parade of cars. “It was motivated by Covid,” says Clubb.

The club raises money and donates the proceeds to the Ramona Senior Center, and their Executive Director Lora Cicalo Yule participates in the events. They hold raffles and sell T-shirts, hats and mugs. Clubb says they receive a tremendous amount of support from Ramona, and local businesses have donated all the gift cards they give away. They have raised almost $24,000 for the Senior Center. “For a small town, a lot of people donated,” says Clubb.

On June 20, the group hosted a 50s Rock-N-Roll Sock Hop in the Albertsons parking lot. On July 18, they held the First Responders event in the same location. Police, Sheriff, Highway Patrol, CalFire, Paramedics and Smokey the Bear were all in attendance. “It draws a lot of people, and it’s fun for the drivers and cruisers,” says Clubb. “We started the club to drive our cars and for something fun to do, and it grew. It’s good for the community.”

Cruise night dates are listed on the Ramona American Graffiti Cruise Facebook Page. The Facebook group now has over 8,000 members and features photos of past events as well as schedules of upcoming events.

Cruising is open to anybody who wants to join, whether down Main Street or the San Diego Country Estates route. Anyone with any kind of car can come out and enjoy the fun.

Car photos by Tiffany Pressler, and fundraising photo courtesy of Leroy Clubb.