As many of you know, the Woodward Dream Cruise is coming to Detroit on Saturday! It’s the world’s largest one-day automotive event, and my favorite day of the year. It’s a celebration of everything with wheels. It doesn’t matter how rare or strange the car is, you’ll probably see it cruising down the legendary Woodward Ave.
I love the Dream Cruise and have been going every year since I moved to Detroit. It brings out the egalitarian spirit and camaraderie that make up the best parts of car culture. It’s one of the few free events that still exists these days, so you’ll see people of all stripes and backgrounds complimenting each other’s rides, asking questions, and just shooting the breeze about cars. There’s also something special about seeing a beautiful car in motion gliding down the road that doesn’t compare to seeing it parked in a museum.
Since it is such a huge event (in both area and attendance) with no real official control, you just show up and drive, there is a bit of anarchy that makes it even more fun. I bet a decent fraction of the vehicles there aren’t street legal. You’ll see full-on race cars, mopeds, ATVs, and scooters, and every crazy home-built contraption rolling down the street. And burnouts, plenty of burnouts. There aren’t enough cops in Michigan to stop everyone, and many of the cops there will let a lot slide in the spirit of the event.
As great as the Dream Cruise is, it’s an open secret that the Thursday and Friday nights before are almost better. You still have the incredible smorgasbord of cars, with a fraction of the million or so people that will pack the streets and sidewalks.
Weather on Friday isn’t looking the best, so let’s have a little Thursday night meetup and cruise before the cruise! Official Detroit Autopian Ambassador Nick Hernandez will be there too!
So here’s the info:
- Who?: All Autopian readers and any other car fans.
- What?: A pre-Dream Cruise show and cruise.
- When?: TOMORROW. Thursday August 15, 2024 at 6:00 PM ET, Then cruise towards Woodward at 7:00. Tentative post cruise meet at Staples (43313 Woodward Ave, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302)
- Where?: Walmart parking lot in Troy, MI: 2001 W. Maple Rd, Troy, MI 48084
- Why? Why not?
So we hope to see you all there.
If you can’t make it Thursday, I’ll be hanging out in the bed of my C10 on Saturday at whatever random parking spot I can find. Feel free to say “Hi”.
I went last evening, because the weather is supposed to be iffy this weekend.
This is the best time to go, before the actual “official” cruise. Even before the Cruise, I can promise you that there will be a traffic jam between 16 Mile and 13 Mile going south, and 12 Mile and 15 Mile going north. So really make sure that your cooling system is up to snuff.
Also, for you out-of-towners, 16 Mile road is also called “Big Beaver Road”. Like, officially called that. And I-75 has an exit on Big Beaver Road. It is, and I kid you not, exit 69.
So you get get off on exit 69 on Big Beaver Road.
Detroit Rocks!
Not letting a little rain (or a lot of rain) stop me, I’ll be there with a jacket just in case 🙂
The weather is not looking good for the weekend unfortunately. All week it has been nice of course…
Start in Troy? That’s pretty safe of you. Nice easy drive in “Detroit”.
Or, as a counterpoint for those less familiar with Michigan, start in Grosse Point Shores and see the striking change of the cityscape as you cross from Grosse Point through a magical barrier into Detroit proper.
Back in the day, you could tell where you were by the “Mayor Coleman Young” signs.
That is a nice drive especially in the fall, but Grosse Pointe is at least 30 minutes to where the cruise is, while the wallmart is about 2 minutes, and where all the previous Autopian meets happened.
You’re thinking of Jefferson Ave. not Woodward – doesn’t really make sense. I lived in both GP and Detroit.
Damn. Last year I was actually in the area at this time, I so could have rolled up in my never-to-be-collectible Focus.
Holy cow, that’s… more than 24 hours notice?!?
You guys are getting better. 🙂
To be fair, I think Nick was the driving force behind this one.
Yep – I saw that in the Discord
It’s only ten and half hours one way… hmmmm
worth it!
I missed this event by a month. Sounds like a lot of fun. Enjoy!
Totally jealous.
Have fun!
Looking forward to it!
It should be fun! I look forward to a fun evening.