License to Cruise
Fox Cities Exhibition Center
Classic Car Show
Friday, Sept. 26th
Octoberfest weekend kicks off with License to Cruise, a classic car show on Friday night at 3 p.m. Complete with about 400 classic cars, live music and great food, you won’t want to miss one of Appleton’s largest car shows.
Interested in displaying your vehicle that’s 2005 or older? Come on down to the avenue on Friday, September 26 at 1:30 p.m.! Registration is only $10.00 to park your car on the avenue. Special interest vehicles will be showcased in the Expo Center. Contact Gary Rohde to be in the Expo Center.
2025 specialty vehicles: Hot Rods, Muscle, and more!
A Car Lover's Dream
More than 400 vehicles will line College Avenue, showcasing classics, customs, and crowd favorites. The Fox Cities Exhibition Center will host an indoor collection, featuring rare-edition and low-production vehicles along with replica movie cars, including:
- Two Batmobiles
- The A-Team van
- Knight Rider’s KITT
- Back to the Future’s DeLorean
- Doc Hudson from Cars
- The Blues Brothers’ Bluesmobile
- The iconic Trans Am Bandit car
Special outdoor features:
Special outdoor features will include a 1945 WWII DUKW (one of only three still in existence), a brand-new electric VW bus, and other unique surprises.
2025 Music Schedule | Houdini Plaza Stage
Coming Soon!
3 - 5 PM | A-Town Unplugged
6 - 9 PM | Boogie and the Yo-Yo’z
License to Cruise Schedule
License to Cruise Event Map
Beer
For the first time in License to Cruise history, Houdini Plaza will also feature a bar, serving a variety of beer and cider, including Garage Beer — made famous by NFL stars Travis and Jason Kelce. Garage Beer will only be available on Friday for the License to Cruise event.
To improve efficiency and reduce wait times, all wristband and beer ticket sales will be 100% cashless. Guests can pay with credit/debit cards or tap to pay.
Food vendors will continue to accept cash and cards; however, cash is preferred to help vendors avoid credit card fees.
Food Vendors
200 West | Superior St. - Appleton St.
ABC Pig Roast
Pig roast sandwich, pig roast cheese nachos, nachos and cheese, bison and elk burgers, sirloin burger, island oasis fruit smoothie, cappuccino latte, soda, water, hot chocolate, coffee
Harvest Street
Beer Tacos, quesidilla, prok belly mac, risotto fritters, tiramisu
Kona Ice
Shaved iced, water, soda
Mai’s Deli
Stuffed Chicken Wings, Egg Rolls, Fried Rice, Crab Rangoon, Spring Rolls
Papa Johns
Pizza
Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee
Nitro energy refreshers, lemonade, iced tea, cold brews, iced macchiator, iced latte, matcha, chai, frappes, lattes, cappucchino, apple cider
100 West | Appleton St. - Oneida St.
Luigis On the Go
Pizza, breadsticks
Say Cheese Curd Company
Deep fried cheese curds, fresh lemonade, water
TJs Popcorn and More
Kettlecorn, fried food, hot dogs, chili dogs, cheese dogs, ice cream, popsicles, banana bread, bagels, caramel apples
Tria Frog Treats
Freeze Dried Goodies & cotton candy
100 East | Oneida St. - Morrison St.
Po Manz Food
Blaze’n Cajun Gumbo, Butter Coconut Shrimp, Shrimp on a boat, Sink’n Burrito, Deep fried Oreo’s, Fried Okra Sticks, Nacho Tot-Tundra, Rollercoaster Smandwich, Canon Balls
On the Fritz Concessions
Hot dog, brats, burgers, perch, salmon, shrimp, cheese curds, fries, jalapeno poppers, nachos, chips, soda, water
Taqueria La Picosita
Oysters, tacos, burritos, quesadillas
Legendary Gyros
Gyros
Inferno Subs
Subs, pretzels, nachos, chips, cookies, soda, water
Fox Valley Kettlecorn
Kettlecorn
Flip’s Mini Donuts
Mini Donuts, Coffee, Lemonade, Hot Chocolate, Water
Osorio’s Latin Fusion
Quesadillas, Tacos, Pork Shanks, Loaded Fries, Churro Bites
Wooden Nickel
Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Brat, Hot dog, Soda & water
Frequently Asked Questions
License to Cruise is from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, September 26, 2025.
Wristbands are available 3 – 8 p.m.
The bar is open 3 – 8:30 p.m.
Show vehicles will be allowed on College Avenue at 1:30 and will be positioned by LTC staff. Cars will fill-up one block at a time.
NO! Any vehicles on the avenue between 12:00 p.m and 1:00 p.m. will be towed at owners expense.`
All vehicles must have been manufactured in 2003 or before and can not have any visible primer or rust. You must bring your vehicle registration with you in case there is a question on the year of your vehicle.
The vehicles DO NOT cruise. Vehicles enter College Avenue and stay parked from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m.
No “carry ins” are allowed.
No! The Appleton Common Council passed ordinance #10-47: “Animals are prohibited on public property located within the Downtown District (Richmond St. to Drew St./south side of Lawrence St. to north side of Washington St.) for special events.”
Violators will be fined. $186.00.
Once your vehicle is parked on the avenue your vehicle “MUST” remain parked until 9:00 p.m. It is not necessary for you to remain with your vehicle, however, Octoberfest / License to Cruise is not responsible for any damage to vehicles during the event.
License to Cruise Sponsors
PRESENTING SPONSORS
SPECIALTY CAR SPONSOR
STAGE SPONSOR
AVENUE SPONSOR
DASH SPONSOR
THE EXPO SPONSOR
REV ZONE SPONSOR
IN KIND
MEDIA SPONSORS
