The Woodward Dream Cruise is a perennial favorite here at the house of Jalop and we're happy to see the joy of the event is spreading. For the first time in the Cruise's history, the festivities will be extending below 8 mile, though not by way of the official organizers of Woodward Dream Cruise Inc, but through the work of MotorCities National Heritage Area — an affiliation of the National Parks Department. WDC shot down a plan to modify the run from its current route between Pontiac and Ferndale, to Pontiac all the way into Detroit, but this unofficial change thankfully begins to chip away at the suburban-only aspect of the cruise.
As long as we've been going to the Cruise, we've been pining for an expanded course. The route of the cruise has been powerful evidence of the overall impression suburbanites have about Detroit, many of whom haven't been downtown in years. They haven't seen the incredible changes and rejuvenations taking place along the Woodward corridor. Maintaining a route in the northern burbs seemed somehow unfair to the city which was the original source for all we celebrate during those long hot days in the summer. Well, that and Wyandotte. OK, maybe not Wyandotte.
So now, despite the official route remaining between Pontiac and Ferndale, events will be happening throughout the metro area for a total of nine days leading up to the orgasmic happy ending that is the official Dream Cruise on Saturday, August 16th. This is a doubly great thing because despite its official edict of a one day event, the Dream Cruise actually starts about a week in advance. Having shows and events all around the region will hopefully help to spread the madness around instead of concentrating it between Maple road (15 Mile) and 8 Mile. So without further ado, here's the lineup for this years dream cruise:
Schedule of Woodward Dream Cruise Events
- August 8 - Hot Latin Nights at Campus Matius, lowriders car show, Latin entertainment and food
- August 9 - Jefferson Avenue cool car cruise, Campus Martius to Gross Pointe Shores, including a loop of Belle Isle
- August 9 - Green Car Show in Ferndale (which totally fits for Ferndale)
- August 10 - Juried Classic Car Show, Campus Martius, motorcycle cruise
- August 10 - Motorcycle cruise from Auburn Hills to State Fairground
- August 11-13 - Summer Auto Show
- August 13-16 - Big Boys Worlds Largest Drive-In, State Fairgrounds
- August 14 - Model T rides, Cadillac Square (downtown next to Campus Martius for those unfamiliar)
- August 14 - Dream Cruise Downtown, Comerica Park and Opera House start
- August 15 - GM's 100th anniversary car show at the RenCen, including a concert by the Blue Oyster Cult
- August 16 - Woodward Dream Cruise - The worlds largest single day drive in car show and cruise
So there you have it, a telegraph of what we'll be bringing you — and participating in — come mid-August. A bigger, hopefully better and expanded Dream Cruise. We can barely wait for August. [DetNews]