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Car enthusiasts looking to show off their vehicles and hang out with others who share the same interest may wish to head to downtown Harlan on Thursday, June 22, for the first Gears and Beers Cruise In. The event will allow folks to show off their customized cars and trucks of all classes for the enjoyment of all.

According to Harlan Tourism’s website at https://www.harlancountytrails.com/event/gears-beers, the initial Gears and Beers Cruise is slated for 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on First Street in front of the Harlan County Courthouse next to the Harlan County Beer Company in downtown Harlan. Sponsored by Harlan Tourism and the Harlan County Beer Company, Gears and Beers is open to all cars and trucks, including classic cars, hot rods, rat rods, imports and more. All types of vehicles are welcome to take part.

Laura Adkisson, the Downtown Development and Event Coordinator for Harlan Tourism, talked about the upcoming event.

“We know there’s a lot of interest in our community about different kinds of cars, everything from rat rods, classics, and hot rods to imports,” Adkisson said. “There’s also a lot of interest in the new brewery (Harlan County Beer Company), so we felt like this was a great opportunity to partner together to bring a cruise into downtown Harlan.”

Adkisson encourages folks to bring their cars or just come out to look at the automobiles and enjoy some food and drink.

Similar events are tentatively planned for every fourth Thursday of each month throughout the summer.

“This is the first of what we anticipate being a summer-long series of cruise ins,” Adkisson said.

In addition to the cars, the Gears and Beers Cruise In will feature prizes, music and more for those in attendance to enjoy.

“There is no entry fee. We just want people to come out and enjoy the cruise in,” Adkisson said. “We will be giving away prizes just for coming out and participating. It doesn’t matter what kind of car your driving, it doesn’t matter what category it falls into or how much work you’ve put into it; we just want everyone to come out and spend an evening together on First Street and enjoy the car community we have here locally.”

Interest in car shows has risen steadily in recent years.

The website CarGurus found at https://www.cargurus.com states the large number and variety of car shows across the United States shows the diversity and size of the car enthusiast world.

“These shows are great places to learn more about cars,” states the CarGurus website. “Most owners will gladly tell you more than you’d ever want to know about their cars, you can learn detailing or repair tips, where to find parts, how to tell one vehicle from the next, a little history, or you can just swap stories. You can make new friends or even find a vehicle for sale. No matter who you are, you’ll definitely leave a show knowing more about cars than you did a few hours earlier.”