Roll With Santa In San Clemente At Classic Car Christmas Cruise

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — This Christmas, Santa is giving his team of hardworking reindeer a break and hopping in the back of a slick classic car in the heart of San Clemente.

That's right, San Clemente — the 2nd annual Christmas Cruise is making a comeback, and the San Clemente Classic Car Club is ready to spread the Christmas cheer throughout the community Dec. 18.

The cruise is scheduled to roll out from North Beach at 11 a.m., and from there, a fleet of classic cars decked out in their holiday bests will drive through the city. San Clemente Classic Car Club Co-Founder Alex DeShazer said the first Christmas Cruise was held last year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. DeShazer runs the club with fellow classic car-lover and Co-Founder Risa Provencio, and together they oversaw the first-ever Christmas Cruise.

The event was so popular, DeShazer told Patch, that there was every reason to renew it for this Christmas season.

"We had roughly 60 cars show up to last year's cruise," DeShazer said. "Since then, we've built up to about 400 members all over the San Clemente area."

DeShazer said the not-for-profit club exists solely for the San Clemente community and reaches past those who love classic cars. DeShazer told Patch that the club often reaches out to veterans or seniors who are unable to leave their homes, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the club make special visits in their classic cars to bring joy to the San Clemente community.

"We're trying to give back to the community, to give people that cheer," DeShazer said. The club, DeShazer said, is designed to bring people together while giving back to the community. "You’ll see a son take out his dad's car for the first time, and you'll just see the dad in the passenger seat grinning from ear to ear while his son takes the wheel."

Christmas Cruise staging begins at 10:45 a.m., and the cruise starts at 11 a.m. at North Beach. From there, the fleet of holiday-accented classic cars will cruise Pier Bowl, roll down Ole Vista and eventually wind up at Lost Winds Brewing at 924 Calle Negocio.

Residents interested in attending the Christmas Cruise can also do something for a child in need. The San Clemente Classic Car Club is accepting donations of new and unwrapped toys at Lost Winds Brewing.

If you're interested in spotting DeShazer and his family amid the holiday fleet, just look out for a bright red '57 Chevy decked out in Christmas decor.

"We want to give back to San Clemente," DeShazer told Patch. "We absolutely love this city, there's a lot of great members in this community and [the club] helps us communicate with more people across age brackets."