Revving Up for Community Fun: Ramona’s American Graffiti Cruise Returns to the San Diego Country Estates
Grab your lawn chairs and blankets and get ready for some classic cars, cool tunes, and community pride. Ramona Cruise nights have begun, and Thursday, May 1, marked the first of four cruise nights through SDCE this season. Car lovers and families alike can enjoy an evening of nostalgia and neighborly connection while watching vintage vehicles roll through the Estates in a celebration of Ramona’s small-town charm.
Leroy Clubb is a founding member and event organizer of the Ramona American Graffiti Cruise, as well as a volunteer for the Ramona Senior Center. He says cruise nights are a great way for car enthusiasts to get together and show their cars in action. “It’s an opportunity to drive your car,” says Clubb. “There are all kinds of cars, the whole gamut.” There will be Plymouths, Chevrolets, Fords, Chrysler, Mustangs, and Dodges, to name a few. The events are free to attend and open to all vehicle types—from very old models to newer ones. Even trucks and motorcycles are welcome. The local firetrucks sometimes join the fun and support the community event.
The 2025 Ramona cruise night season started on April 17 and will continue every Thursday through September 11, featuring classic cars cruising up and down Main Street. Anyone can join the cruise and begin at any point on Main Street. Clubb says a lot of people meet at the Albertsons parking lot to chat with other drivers, make a round or two, and then head back to socialize more.
When the cruise nights come through SDCE, cruisers meet at the old Kmart parking lot and follow the preset route, hitting SDCE around 6:20. The SDCE cruise route is posted on the Ramona American Graffiti Cruise Facebook page prior to each cruise night, giving drivers time to check out the route before they head out and helping spectators choose the best place to watch from.
The cruise nights through SDCE are also 50/50 nights. The 50/50s are like raffles; people buy tickets, and the winner of the drawing gets to keep half of the money, with the other half going to the Ramona Senior Center. Tickets are sold in the former Kmart parking lot the night of the SDCE cruises, so show up early to get yours.
Clubb says they had a car show on April 12 at Grace Community Church and raised $17,000 for the Ramona Senior Center. He says 100% of this money goes to the senior center. Clubb enjoys helping organize the Ramona Graffiti Cruise because he likes to help out the senior center. The funds raised are used to deliver four meals each week to 240 homebound seniors. He says it’s a passion to help, and he does what he can.
More SDCE cruise nights and 50/50 runs will be on June 12, August 7, and August 28. As warmer evenings roll in, the Ramona American Graffiti Cruise promises to be a highlight of spring and summer. It’s time to slow down and soak up what makes this community special.
For more information on cruise nights, please visit the Ramona American Graffiti Cruise Facebook page or call Clubb at 619-980-3647.
Photos courtesy of Leroy Clubb.
