Is Westmont Cruisin' Nights over for 2026?
Yes. Westmont Cruisin' Nights ran Thursdays from June 4 through the end of August, skipping only July 9 for the Taste of Westmont. The car show continues through fall as the Endless Summer Car Show Tour, visiting senior and retirement communities.
Walk down Cass Avenue on a Thursday in July and you cannot get a parking spot. Walk down Cass Avenue on a Thursday in late September and you can park almost anywhere, the street is open to traffic, and you would think downtown Westmont switched itself off for the season.
It did not. It just moved.
The Numbers Behind a Typical Thursday
Cruisin' Nights is not small. The weekly show averages more than 350 classic cars and 2,500 guests on Cass Avenue, and WGN Radio has called it the best weekly car show in Chicagoland.
Three blocks close to regular traffic, from Burlington Avenue to Naperville Road, with cars entering at Norfolk and Cass. Live music plays at two stages, including Neat Kitchen + Bar at 246 N. Cass. This year the Village's police, fire, and public works departments combined their vehicle showcase into a single Village Vehicles Night on June 18.
By the organizers' own account, this year went well. WSEC Executive Director Kristina Kaniauskaite said 2026 was the best year ever for Westmont Cruisin' Nights, and the organization has published a survey asking residents for feedback on the event.
Where the Cars Go in the Fall
Here is what most people miss. Cruisin' Nights does not retire for the winter. It relocates.
For five years now, Westmont Special Events has taken a scaled-down version called the Endless Summer Car Show Tour to senior and retirement communities around the area. The format keeps the event going beyond its Thursday nights downtown.
"We came up with a plan and decided to bring the car show to them," said WSEC board member Larry McIntyre, who conceived it.
If you have wondered why the classic car crowd seems to vanish right after Labor Day, that is the answer.
What Stays Downtown
The street does not go completely quiet either. WSEC and the Creative Arts Network run a fall window mural program, pairing downtown businesses with local artists. The murals stay up from September through the end of November, which gives Cass Avenue a different kind of reason to walk it.
The storefronts themselves keep changing, too. Since the Downtown Incentive Program launched in 2023, the Village has put more than $275,000 toward matching grants for facade work, signage, and fire suppression for businesses in the Central Business District.
And the East Burlington Avenue construction that shaped foot traffic all summer, shifting the road's S-curve roughly 150 feet east to align with North Linden, is scheduled to continue through fall.
The Volunteer Engine Behind All of It
Every event mentioned here, Cruisin' Nights, the Taste of Westmont, the Endless Summer tour, the window murals, runs through Westmont Special Events, an independent, all-volunteer nonprofit that coordinates more than 50 community events a year.
That is worth knowing if you treat Thursday nights on Cass as a fixed part of living here. None of it happens automatically. It happens because a volunteer board keeps making it happen.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Westmont Cruisin' Nights run?
Thursdays in June, July, and August from 5 to 9 p.m. on Cass Avenue. In 2026 it started June 4 and skipped July 9 for the Taste of Westmont.
What happens to Cruisin' Nights in the fall?
It becomes the Endless Summer Car Show Tour, which brings classic cars to area senior and retirement communities.
Who organizes Cruisin' Nights?
Westmont Special Events Corporation, an independent, volunteer-driven nonprofit that coordinates more than 50 events a year.
A town that runs on this kind of volunteer infrastructure tells you something about what living there is actually like. If you are thinking about Westmont, call or text Rob Brannigan at 847.609.0570 or visit robbrannigan.com.
Additional Resources
- A Local's Weekend Guide to Westmont
- The Zoning Line That's Worth More Than the Comps in Downtown Westmont
- What to Know About Single-Family Homes in Westmont
Written by Rob Brannigan (IL License #475.164040), RENE + SRS. Lifelong Downers Grove resident. Data-driven guidance for sellers and buyers in Downers Grove and surrounding communities.
