A 1988 Video Captures Wenatchee’s Cruising Culture

The 2000s decade saw cruising, up until the Spring of 2008.

That was my first Apple Blossom in the Wenatchee Valley.

I remember police officers and sheriff deputies from all corners of the state were patrolling the entire strip of Wenatchee Avenue.

Two Memories from 2008

2008. The year the hammer went down hard on cruising.

My wife and I (dating at the time) were having fish-n-chips in the glass atrium of Skippers on North Wenatchee Avenue - Where Taco Time stands today. There must have been half a dozen police on motorbikes zipping around, pulling over dozens of vehicles.

I walked across Wenatchee Avenue from the KPQ building to my car that same weekend.  A police officer with a "Pullman" patch shouted at me to show him my ID. I was about to get a ticket for jaywalking when some local police officer said very loudly - "HEY! THAT'S CONNOR! HE'S OKAY!"

I'm still grateful to that local police officer for saving me that night.

Terry Adcock's camera footage takes us back.

We visit the loud late '80s fashions - the automobiles, and the excitement of Wenatchee’s busiest and craziest weekend.

Cruising Apple Blossom Weekend brought people from all over the state of Washington. 

The iconic 70s. The partying 80s. The unruly 90s.

Above photo credit: Red Line Muscle Cars

The date stamp on the video below says May 7th, 1988.

It's Saturday afternoon, just after 3:30 pm.  The Wenatchee Apple Blossom parade ended a couple of hours prior. Cruising on The Ave is well underway. 

Former Wenatchee Police officer Terry Adcock took his home movie camera to the streets to show the slow-moving traffic in full bloom.

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Watching the party scene is like entering a time machine and looking into a time portal. 

A time when partying on the streets was allowed. Thank you for your years of service, protecting our valley. And thank you for sharing your video with us. You brought us back.

Huge thanks to Terry Adcock for providing a look back

Hours of driving back and forth, seeing your friends & meeting up with new people. Perhaps you would invite that beautiful new person to grab a bite to eat at Larry’s Pizza at the North Valley Mall - then hit up a late-night house party in East Wenatchee. 

The possibilities were endless.