September 2, 2026 – Classic cars, motorcycles and community remembrance will come together in downtown Decatur as the 18th annual Cruise 11 to Remember 9-11 takes place Sunday, Sept. 13, at Central Park.
The event features a car and bike show, live DJ, food vendors and a memorial cruise honoring the sacrifices of military members and first responders. Registration for all vehicle types begins at 8 a.m. on the west side of Central Park and costs $11. Admission for spectators is free.
This year, food vendor 343 BBQ has decided to provide their annual 911 remembrance free lunches to any area on duty first responder during our event. Free lunches will be available 11am to 1pm for the first responders.
343 owner, Mark Scranton said “with this year being the 25th anniversary of 911, we did not want to compete with other events on that day. Cruise 11 is already about honoring the memory of the tragic event and thanking our first responders for their daily service so we decided to do our annual lunch at the car show and they can enjoy looking at the vehicles while they eat in Central Park.”
Cruise 11 is organized by History of the Heartland and raises money for the Doug Hagen Memorial Scholarship Fundat MacArthur High School. The annual scholarship honors Doug Hagen, the 1964 MacArthur High School class president who was killed in action during the Vietnam War and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
The event was created 18 years ago in memory of Pvt. John Gifford of Decatur, who enlisted in the Marines following the Sept. 11 attacks and was killed in action in Iraq on March 23, 2003. He was the first Illinois service member killed in the Iraq War.
Organizers say Cruise 11 has raised tens of thousands of dollars over the years to support military and veteran causes, including local memorials, care packages for deployed troops and assistance for area veterans.
Food from 343 BBQ will be available for purchase throughout the day. A 9/11 remembrance ceremony and awards presentation begin at 2 p.m. on the Central Park stage, followed by the 11-mile BG Nevitt Memorial Yellow Ribbon Cruise, which travels from downtown to the Decatur Conference Center and back.
For more information, call 217-791-1385. For a registration form, click HERE.
