06/04/2026
Check it out Mag Auctions is sponsoring CRUISE THE ROGUE .
2026 NAMED OFFICIAL
HOT AUGUST NIGHTS EVENT SERIES QUALIFIER
Southern Oregon’s Inaugural All-Genre Automotive Festival Joins National Network — Winning Vehicles Earn Invitation to Reno Grand Finale and $5,000 Cash Prize
JULY 23–26, 2026 · DOWNTOWN GRANTS PASS & RIVERSIDE PARK, OREGON
GRANTS PASS, Ore. — Cruise the Rogue 2026 has been named an official Hot August Nights Event Series Qualifier, joining a national network of standout automotive shows leading to the Hot August Nights Grand Finale on August 8, 2026, in Downtown Reno, Nevada. The designation means registered vehicles 1979 and older at Cruise the Rogue — Southern Oregon’s inaugural all-genre automotive festival, July 23–26, 2026 — are eligible to compete for an invitation to the Grand Finale, where two Grand Champions each take home a $5,000 cash prize.
The qualifier license plate — the Golden Ticket to the Reno stage — will be presented at the Cruise the Rogue Sunday Awards Ceremony on July 26 by celebrity guests Richard Rawlings and Dennis Collins of Gas Monkey Garage, who will personally select the qualifying vehicle from the field.
ABOUT CRUISE THE ROGUE
Cruise the Rogue is the Pacific Northwest’s premier all-genre automotive festival, produced by Main Street Grants Pass. The event launches its inaugural year July 23–26, 2026, across Downtown Grants Pass and Riverside Park in Southern Oregon — four days, 12 vehicle classes, 350–450 registered vehicles, and 20,000+ expected visitors.
The downtown cruise tradition in Grants Pass ran for nearly 15 years under the Grants Pass Towne Center Association, drawing close to 600 vehicles at its peak before going silent in 2019. Main Street Grants Pass — the direct organizational successor — is reviving and expanding that tradition into a fully programmed festival with national reach, celebrity programming, and curated showcase components that put Grants Pass alongside the Pacific Northwest’s premier automotive destinations.
Cruise the Rogue is not a classic car show. It is a genuinely all-genre event — 12 classes spanning pre-war classics through American muscle, European and exotic marques, JDM, modern muscle, custom builds, motorcycles, and everything in between. Every make, every era, every build welcome on the same streets.
CELEBRITY GUESTS
• Richard Rawlings — Founder of Gas Monkey Garage, star of Discovery Channel’s Fast N’ Loud. 8.14 million social media followers. Hosts the VIP Long Table Dinner on Thursday evening and is present throughout the weekend.
• Dennis Collins — Gas Monkey Garage. Master collector, restorer, and holder of the 2007 Cannonball Run coast-to-coast record. 2.46 million social media followers. Will walk the show field and co-present the HAN qualifier plate at the Sunday Awards Ceremony.
• Alan Taylor — Host of The Drive. Founding board member of Main Street Grants Pass. Nearly four decades broadcasting from the world’s premier automotive events including Pebble Beach Concours d’Élégance, Retromobile Paris, and Hot August Nights. Former Grand Marshal of Hot August Nights for nearly a decade. Automotive expert on ABC’s Live with Kelly & Mark for 25 years. Broadcasts live from Cruise the Rogue on The Drive throughout the event.
FOUR DAYS OF PROGRAMMING
Thursday, July 23 — VIP Welcome & Check-In
• Participant check-in and registration, 12–6:30 PM
• VIP Long Table Dinner, SW 5th Street, 6:30–8:30 PM — farm-to-table charity benefit for Grants Pass youth programs. Richard Rawlings and Dennis Collins in attendance. Sponsors, partners, and VIP ticket holders only.
Friday, July 24 — Show & Shine + Poker Run
• Cars & Coffee presented by Growler Guys and Wheelhouse Coffee, 7–10 AM
• Downtown Show & Shine — Classics & Muscle, G & H Street Historic Downtown, 8 AM–2 PM
• Poker Run — The Rogue Tour through Applegate Valley wine country
• Live concerts at The Owl, evening
Saturday, July 25 — Salon, Show & the Cruise
• Cars & Coffee presented by Growler Guys and Wheelhouse Coffee, 7–10 AM
• Riverside Salon de l’Automobile — curated invitation-only showcase of European and exotic vehicles, Riverside Park, 9 AM–3 PM
• Bring What You Built — open class showcase, Downtown Grants Pass, 9 AM–3 PM
• Poker Run — The Vineyard Tour through Applegate Valley wine country
• Saturday Night Fever Cruise — SW 6th & 7th Streets, streets closed 6 PM, cruise 7–9 PM
Sunday, July 26 — Awards & Parade of Champions
• Awards Ceremony, Riverside Park, 9 AM–12 PM — approximately 30 awards across all vehicle classes
• Hot August Nights Event Series qualifier license plate presented by Richard Rawlings and Dennis Collins
• Parade of Champions, Downtown Grants Pass, 12–2 PM
THE HOT AUGUST NIGHTS EVENT SERIES
Now in its fourth year, the Hot August Nights Event Series connects qualifying shows from across the country to the HAN Grand Finale — held August 8, 2026, on Lake Street in Downtown Reno beneath the original Reno Arch. Presented by Champion Chevrolet and Caesars Entertainment, the 2026 series awards two Grand Champion titles:
• Craftsman Grand Champion — celebrating owner-built restorations where personal vision and craftsmanship take the lead. Award: $5,000 cash, custom trophy, name on the HAN perpetual, Grand Champion jacket, 2027 HAN registration.
• Coachbuilt Grand Champion — recognizing professionally built vehicles and advanced fabrication. Award: $5,000 cash, custom trophy, name on the HAN perpetual, Grand Champion jacket, 2027 HAN registration.
Five additional category awards recognize Classic Stock, Classic Custom, Classic Rod, Classic Truck, and Member’s Choice. All eligible vehicles (1979 and older) are entered for raffle prizes including 2027 HAN registrations. More at hotaugustnights.net.
FROM THE ORGANIZERS
“The connection between Cruise the Rogue and Hot August Nights runs deeper than a qualifier designation. We built this festival with HAN as our model — and the people on our team have spent decades on the stages that made HAN what it is. Win at Grants Pass. Go to Reno.”
— Michael O’Coyne — Lead Organizer, Cruise the Rogue 2026 | Vice Chair, Main Street Grants Pass
“I’ve spent nearly four decades broadcasting from the most exclusive automotive events in the world — from Retromobile in Paris to Pebble Beach to Hot August Nights in Reno. When Mike and I designed Cruise the Rogue, we often described our vision to the board as a pint-sized HAN for Southern Oregon. We’re proud to make that connection official.”
— Alan Taylor — Host, The Drive | Founding Board Member, Cruise the Rogue | Former Grand Marshal, Hot August Nights
EVENT AT A GLANCE
• Dates: July 23–26, 2026
• Venues: Downtown Grants Pass + Riverside Park, Grants Pass, Oregon
• Vehicle Classes: 12
• Registered Vehicles: 350–450
• Expected Attendance: 20,000+
• Spectator Admission: Free
• HAN Qualifier Eligibility: Vehicles 1979 and older
• HAN Grand Finale: August 8, 2026 — Downtown Reno, Nevada
• Grand Champion Prize: $5,000 cash (two categories)
• Vehicle Registration: cruisetherogue.com
• Contact: [email protected] | (541) 218-7762
• Social: | |
ABOUT CRUISE THE ROGUE
Cruise the Rogue is a four-day all-genre automotive festival produced by Main Street Grants Pass, held July 23–26, 2026, in Downtown Grants Pass and Riverside Park, Oregon. The Pacific Northwest’s premier automotive festival. cruisetherogue.com
ABOUT MAIN STREET GRANTS PASS
Main Street Grants Pass is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to the economic vitality and historic preservation of Downtown Grants Pass, Oregon, operating under the national Main Street America program. mainstreetgrantspass.org
ABOUT HOT AUGUST NIGHTS
Now in its 40th year, Hot August Nights is one of the nation’s premier classic automotive events, held annually in Reno-Sparks, Nevada. The 2026 Hot August Nights Event Series Grand Finale is August 8, 2026. hotaugustnights.net
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MEDIA CONTACT
Michael O’Coyne
Vice Chair, Main Street Grants Pass | Lead Organizer, Cruise the Rogue 2026
[email protected] | (541) 218-7762
cruisetherogue.com |
