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Monday Night Car Show (Niles)
Date: Mondays,Through August 31 | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Venue: Golf Mill Shopping Center (West of AMC Theatre)
Details: This classic weekly cruise night gathers a wide variety of vintage muscle cars, hot rods, and custom builds. Spectators can enjoy music, talk shop with local vehicle owners, and explore local food options in a casual automotive environment. Admission is entirely free for all attendees.
(Link)
Image source: Village of Niles - Municipality
Car & Bike Show at Broken Oar (Port Barrington)
Date: Tuesdays, Through October 3, 2026 | 5:00 PM
Venue: Broken Oar, 614 Rawson Bridge Rd, Port Barrington, IL 60010
Details: Head to Broken Oar every Tuesday night for a free summer Car & Bike Show featuring custom cars, motorcycles, weekly trophies, and a laid-back lakeside atmosphere. Both spectators and vehicle entries are welcome free of charge, and registered exhibitors receive a free coupon to use at the restaurant. Enjoy the cars, scenic views, food, drinks, and weekly awards at this popular Tuesday night gathering.
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Rand Red Hots Classic Car Cruise Night (Des Plaines)
Date: Tuesdays, Through September 15, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Venue: Rand Red Hots, Des Plaines
Details: A weekly cruise night featuring classic cars, muscle cars, hot rods, and custom vehicles. Visitors can enjoy great food, meet local car enthusiasts, and browse a rotating collection of vintage automobiles.
(Link)
Image source: Rand Red Hots
Cary Cruise Night (Cary) Final
Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Venue: Downtown W. Main Street, Cary, IL 60013
Details: Cary Cruise Night wraps up its 28th season with a weekly gathering of classic and enthusiast vehicles in downtown Cary. All makes and models are welcome, and there is no cost for show-car participation or spectators. Enjoy the cars, music, family-friendly atmosphere, and downtown restaurants and businesses along Main Street. For this final August event, W. Main Street is reserved for show-car parking beginning at 4:30 PM and closes from Jandus Road to High Road at 6:00 PM.
(Link)
Al's Hot Dogs Cruise Nights (Long Grove)
Date: Wednesdays,Through September , 2026 | 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Venue: Al's Hot Dogs, Long Grove
Details: One of the area's longest-running cruise nights with classic cars, customs, trucks, and motorcycles. Food, music, and a relaxed atmosphere make it a favorite midweek destination for enthusiasts.
(Link)
Image source: Felix Greco
Thursday Night Out (Barrington) Final
Date: Thursdays, Through August 27, 2026 | 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Venue: BMO Lot (Lot 18), 210 W. Station Street
Details: Held in the heart of downtown, this premium evening show rotates weekly vehicle themes and spotlights Mopar and Ford builds for this specific date. The event brings out exceptional classic cars, modern performance builds, local food trucks, a live DJ, and various family activities throughout the historic village center. Admission is free.
(Link)
Cruisin' Park Ridge (Park Ridge)
Date: Friday, September 4 & October 2, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Venue: Park Ridge Library Parking Lot
Details: Classic cars line up in downtown Park Ridge for an evening of music, food, and community fun. The event welcomes spectators of all ages and showcases a variety of vintage and specialty vehicles.
(Link)
Image source: Cruisin' Park Ridge
Meadows Cruise Night (Rolling Meadows)
Date: Friday, August 28, 2026 | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Venue: Meadows Christian Fellowship, 2401 Kirchoff Rd, Rolling Meadows
Details: Meadows Cruise Night has been rescheduled to Friday, August 28
(Link)
Roselle American Legion Cruise Night (Roselle)
Date: Fridays, Through September 18, 2026 | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Venue: American Legion Hall
Details: Weekly cruise night featuring classic cars, muscle cars, and customs with food, music, and refreshments while supporting local veterans through the American Legion.
(Link)
Image source: Raymond Bombeck
Bluesmobile Cruise Nights: Cadillac Night (Mount Prospect)
Date: Saturdays, Through September 26, 2026 | 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Venue: Downtown Mount Prospect (Metra East Commuter Lot)
Details: One of Chicagoland's largest cruise nights. This themed event highlights emergency vehicles alongside hundreds of classic cars, hot rods, muscle cars, and specialty vehicles. Food vendors, music, and family activities round out the evening.
(Link)
Image source: Mount Prospect Lions Club
Classic Cars Cruise Night at Steak 'N Shake (Elgin)
Date: Saturdays, Through October 24, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Venue: Steak 'n Shake, Elgin
Details: A casual Saturday evening gathering featuring classic cars, customs, muscle cars, and modern performance vehicles. Grab dinner while enjoying an ever-changing lineup of automotive favorites.
(Link)
Image source: Old Cars, Strong Hearts
5th Annual Cruisin' on Center Grayslake Car Show (Grayslake)
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026 | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Venue: Historic Downtown Grayslake, Grayslake, IL 60030
Details: Cruise into historic downtown Grayslake for the 5th Annual Cruisin’ on Center Car Show, featuring hundreds of cars and 50 trophies across 18 classes, including classics, customs, modern cars, trucks, motorcycles, low riders, imports, tuners, and exotics. Enjoy live music from Slam Funk and the Lakes Area Swing Band, grab food from Dog’n’Suds, Cousins Maine Lobster, and more, and enter the 50/50 raffle. The free community event is hosted by the Rotary Club of Grayslake and Grayslake Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 299 as a fundraiser supporting local scholarships, food pantries, Shop with a Cop, worldwide polio prevention, and other causes. Car registration is $20, while admission for spectators is free. Rain date is September 19.
(Link)
52nd Annual Elgin Car Show & Road Race Cruise (Elgin)
Date: Sunday, August 30, 2026 | 11:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Venue: The Pearl of Fox River Valley, 1950 Larkin Ave, Elgin, IL 60123
Details: Elgin’s Model T Ford Club hosts its 52nd Annual Car Show & Cruise, featuring vehicles from before 1980. Admission is free for spectators, with kids activities, food on site, a 50/50 raffle, and event dash plaques and T-shirts available for purchase on show day. Show cars are welcome for $5. The day includes history presentations covering Elgin-area racing, Model T and Model A Fords, and vehicles made in Elgin. The event wraps up with trophies and awards at 3:00 PM, followed by a cruise along the original Road Race Course Route at 3:30 PM.
Schedule:
11:00 AM: Car Show & Kids Activities open
11:30 AM: History Presentations begin
12:00 PM: Elgin Area Racing History
12:30 PM: All About Model T Fords
1:00 PM: All About Model A Fords
1:30 PM: Made in Elgin
2:00 PM: 50/50 Raffle Drawing
3:00 PM: Trophies & Awards
3:30 PM: Cruise on the Original Road Race Course Route
(Link)
Tuner Evo: Chicago (Schaumburg)
Date: Sunday, August 30, 2026 | 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Venue: Schaumburg Convention Center, 1551 Thoreau Dr N, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Admission: $25 early-bird / $30 day of show; VIP $80. Children 12 and under are free.
Details: Tuner Evo: Chicago is a large automotive lifestyle show featuring an extensive lineup of customized cars, including imports, domestic builds, European vehicles, JDM-inspired cars, luxury builds, and more. The event also includes RC drifting, a sneaker contest, builder Q&A, vendors, giveaways and raffles, and a breakdance contest. Awards include Best of Show, Best Team Overall, Deepest Team, and specialty awards such as Best JDM, Best Fitment, Best Interior, Best Livery, Best Old Skool, Best VIP, and more.
(Link)
2026 Cruisin' with Classics Car Show (Mundelein)
Date: Sunday, August 30, 2026 | 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Venue: Grand Dominion, 3555 Grand Dominion Cir, Mundelein, IL 60060
Details: This annual classic car show features a variety of awards, including Best of Show, Best Engine, Best Paint, Best Interior, Best Classic Car (25+ years), Best Modified Car, Best Custom Car, and Best Import. The parking lot and check-in open at 9:00 AM, with the show officially beginning at 10:00 AM. Attendees can enjoy a DJ, food truck, raffle prizes, and fire engine rides throughout the event. On-site registration is available for car owners, with pre-registration also offered.
(Link)
