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Woodward Dream Cruise: Parking, times, merchandise, and more

By Jack Nissen
Published  August 15, 2024 12:21pm EDT
Cars and Trucks
FOX 2 Detroit

'Liquid sunshine'; Fans not worried about Woodward Dream Cruise rain

The Woodward Dream Cruise is a summer tradition usually left unbothered by the weather. That won't be the case during the 2024 event with lots of rain on the way. Lucky for those planning to cruise the avenue, they don't care.

FERNDALE, Mich. (FOX 2) - Michigan's most famous car show returns this weekend with tens of thousands of cars and a million people expected to line the sides of Woodward Avenue.

The Woodward Dream Cruise attracts car enthusiasts from all over the state and beyond, showcasing classic vehicles popular across the eras in Michigan and around the U.S. What started as a small fundraiser at a soccer field in Ferndale is now an iconic summer event baked in nostalgia.

According to the website, cars come from as far away as Australia and Japan, giving the event a global presence.

And with such popularity comes the need for planning. Anyone traveling to the Woodward corridor in Oakland County during the weekend will want to plan ahead. Here's everything to know about the cruise.

When is the Woodward Dream Cruise?

The official Dream Cruise takes place on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. However, there are also events on Friday night in some cities like Ferndale, which offers an official ribbon cutting and the Lights & Sirens Cruise Parade.

Where does the Woodward Dream Cruise take place?

Nine cities participate in the Woodward Dream Cruise, starting in Ferndale just north of Eight Mile and traveling north all the way to Pontiac and the Woodward Loop.

Also participating in the event are Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods, Berkely, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, and Pontiac.

Where do I park?

While street parking surrounds Woodward Avenue, it will be tough to find a spot with a million people traveling to the event. The best places to target are city parking lots. That includes:

  • Birmingham - N. Old Woodward Parking Structure, Park Street Parking Structure, Peabody Parking Structure, Pierce Parking Structure, Chester Parking Structure
  • Ferndale - Lot 2 on N. Withington St., Lot 3 on S. Withington St., Lot 4 off of W. Nine Mile, Lot 7 off of W. Troy St., Lot 8 off of W. Troy St., Lot 9 off of E. Troy St., Lot 10 off of E. Nine Mile Rd., Lot 11 off of E. Nine Mile Rd., Lot 13 off of E. Nine Mile Rd., Lot 15 off of E. Breckenridge St.
  • Pontiac - Various municipal lots. The website ParkMobile outlines all the available lots for public parking.
  • Royal Oak - Metered parking and parking structures are available around Royal Oak. See a full list of structures here. Among the best spots are the Royal Oak Golf Center, Gunn Dyer Park, and Upton Park.

The Dream Cruise also has a helpful Facebook page that offers parking information, which can be found here.

Woodward Dream Cruise merchandise

One way to memorialize the dream cruise is with clothing and other fun swag. There will be an online store as well as tent stations stretching from Ferndale to Pontiac.

The link to merchandise can be found here. 

As for tent locations, use this list below:

  • Berkley, Corner of West 12 Mile Rd. @ Woodward Ave (August 16 & 17)
  • Berkley, Westborn Market – 27659 Woodward Ave (August 17)
  • Birmingham, Kinkos, 33100 Woodward Ave (August 17)
  • Birmingham, West Maple Mile Rd. at Woodward (August 16, 17 & 18)
  • Birmingham, Old Woodward Ave, Downtown, Multiple Locations (August 17)
  • Ferndale, Nine Mile Rd, east of Woodward Ave (August 16 & 17)
  • Royal Oak, Memorial Park,East of Woodward, north of 13 Mile Rd (August 16 & 17)
  • Royal Oak, Zoe’s Restaurant – 25994 Woodward Ave (August 16 & 17)
  • Royal Oak, Sherwin Williams – 27958 Woodward Ave (August 16 & 17)
  • Royal Oak, CVS Pharmacy, 30900 Woodward Ave (August 16 & 17)
  • Pleasant Ridge, 23925 Woodward Ave, west of Woodward Ave, south of I-696 (August 17)

Woodward Dream Cruise events:

Each city has its own events going on throughout the weekend. Check out the list below:

Berkley

Friday, August 16, 2024:

  • 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM: CruiseFest Classic Car Parade, On West 12 Mile Rd., between Coolidge and Greenfield Rd.
  • 7:30 PM – 11:00 PM: 12 Mile Rd Street Concert, Movie, other Activities.
  • ALL DAY: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise Tent, W. 12 Mile Rd at Woodward Avenue

Saturday, August 17, 2024:

  • ALL DAY: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise Tent, W. 12 Mile Rd at Woodward Avenue

Birmingham

Saturday, August 17, 2024:

  • 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Birmingham Cruise
  • South Old Woodward from Maple to Lincoln
  • Classic Car Show, Interactive Sponsor Displays, Retail and Food Vendors
  • ALL DAY: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise Tent

Ferndale

Friday, August 16, 2024 – Nine Mile Rd and Woodward

Saturday, August 17, 2024 @ Nine Mile Rd and Woodward

Royal Oak

Friday, August 16, 2024:

Saturday, August 17, 2024:

Pleasant Ridge

Saturday, August 17, 2024:

  • ALL DAY: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise Tent, Woodward and Oakland Park Blvd.
  • 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM: Ford Bronco Show, Woodward and Oakland Park Blvd.

Pontiac

Saturday, August 17, 2024:

  • ALL DAY: 60th Birthday GTO Car Show & Parade
  • ALL DAY: Entertainment, Food Trucks, Family Fun, & Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise Tent

M1 Concourse's Dream Show & Festival

Beyond just the day's events on Friday and Saturday, there is also another celebration taking place at the north end of the Woodward Dream Cruise: The M1 Concourse's Dream Show & Festival.

While Corvettes traversed the Concourse on Wednesday, there's also a festival of sorts planned for Aug. 16 and 17. A trolley will travel through a tunnel that helps tell the story of car culture going back to the 60s.

It will include live music, fashion, and an homage to all the cars that cruised 60 years ago. Tickets are available at m1concourse.com/woodward-dream-show.

When:

  • Wednesday, August 14, 12 p.m. - 7:30 pm ET
  • Friday, August 16, 12 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. ET
  • Saturday, August 17, 10 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. ET

Where:

M1 Concourse, 1 Concourse Drive, Pontiac, MI 48341

Getting to the dream cruise

Driving to the cruise is an obvious choice. After all, it is a car show. But there is also the option of getting to Woodward and watching the Dream Cruise from a SMART bus.

All rides on SMART buses along Woodward will be free on Saturday. Shuttles will run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. They'll be picking up passengers at all the traditional SMART bus stops along Woodward Avenue.