By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Twenty-five cars cruised Marion’s Main St. Saturday night despite the fact a cruise, and a similar event in Hillsboro planned for Sunday, were both canceled.

The drivers went from 1st. St. to Casey’s, honking as they passed people standing in their yards holding up signs reading, “Honk.” Some held beer and signs saying “Honk and we’ll drink.”

Some returned Sunday night for a repeat performance before the governor’s statewide COVID-19 “stay home” order became effective at 12:01 a.m. Monday.

The original plan for a Marion Main St. cruise was organized by disc jockey Duane McCarty, who thought it would be a good idea to have something fun that would still keep people a six-foot social distance from each other. He also thought a cruise would be a way to get people’s minds off warnings and worries related to the outbreak.

McCarty said his friend Amiee Henry had sent him a social media post from Russell’s “Drag Main for the Coronavirus” event. She suggested a similar event in Marion.

After getting good response from his friends on social media, he made plans to set up his sound equipment at the gazebo in Liberty Park to provide music.

Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce planned a Main St. cruise for Sunday.

Director Lisa Donahue contacted McCarty to say the health department asked them to cancel the event. McCarty decided to cancel the Marion event as well.

“I was kind of heartbroken,” McCarty said. “I think the ones that did it decided, ‘Let’s go ahead and drag Main.’ ”