The debut of the Freedom Cruise June 25-29 will feature custom car and bike shows, a “Freedom Rocks” concert and a special edition of WLAV’s Blues on the Mall, aka “Blues on the Ball.”
Danny “The Count” Koker and Count’s 77 will headline the first Freedom Rocks concert at the DeltaPlex.
Organizers today announced the debut of West Michigan’s Freedom Cruise – a five-day motorcycle and classic car rally event that will take participants to an outdoor custom car and bike show, an indoor expo, concerts and other events with stops at Fifth Third Ballpark and DeltaPlex Arena in late June.
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Billed as “five days of cars & bikes and stars & stripes,” the event taking place June 25-29 boasts appearances by History Channel reality television show stars from Rick’s Restorations, Count’s Kustoms and Fugawi Motorcycle Club, culminating in a Saturday night “Freedom Rocks” concert at the DeltaPlex.
Rick and Kelly Dale
Danny “The Count” Koker — owner of the Las Vegas auto customization company Count’s Kustoms and star of the History Channel reality TV show, “Counting Cars” — and his band, Count’s 77, will headline a Saturday night concert at the DeltaPlex Arena in Walker, following a special American Fallen Soldier Project presentation.
Prior to the presentation, the DeltaPlex will host live entertainment and “special guests and celebrities.” Tickets go on sale for the show on Friday, with more details and acts to be announced.
The brainchild of Kent County Commissioner Tom Antor, the unusual five-day event sponsored by Village Motorsports along with Orion Construction and others will kick off the afternoon of June 25 with the Whitecaps Motor Rally – an outdoor custom car and bike show – at Fifth Third Ballpark, which will also host a special WLAV “Blues on the Ball” concert and a “Field of Honor” softball game between VetSports and Grand Rapids area firefighters and police officers.
That’s followed on Thursday by a Village Motor Festival in Sparta and on Friday by the Freedom Cruise Car & Bike Expo at the DeltaPlex (with Rick and Kelly Dale of “American Restorations”), with an evening Beer City Twilight Cruise in downtown Grand Rapids. On Saturday, the expo continues, closing with the Freedom Rocks concert. Finally, on Sunday, the Freedom Cruise ends with a ride to the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners.
Revenue from some sponsorships, raffle ticket sales and a portion of food and beer sales from the Freedom Cruise will support the new Finish The Mission Veteran Relief Fund. On the official website, organizers say the money will be used in “a variety of applications for various daily needs of West Michigan veterans and their families,” ranging from covering medical expenses to helping out with utility and mortgage payments.
More details and bands are expected to be announced in coming weeks. Get more information about the cruise at its official website.
Email John Sinkevics at jsinkevics@gmail.com.
Copyright 2014, Spins on Music
Looks complicated. They don’t explain how (or why) locals can participate.