Berkley Gears Up for CruiseFest, Weekend of Fun and Cars

Berkley kicks off the Woodward Dream Cruise weekend Friday with its annual CruiseFest classic car parade and downtown party, jam-packed with fun for the entire family.

The festivities will begin during the day with sidewalk sales that will continue late into the evening.

City Style co-owner Tim Vestrand promises that the boutique, known for its trendy shoes and Made in Detroit apparel, will have good deals on summer footwear.

The Lunch Cafe owner Cinda Coon also anticipates a busy day. She said her staff will serve sandwiches, wraps and beverages until after parade traffic dies down.

Parade route closures will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, when 12 Mile Road will be shut from Woodward Avenue to Greenfield Road, according to Kevin Price of the Berkley Parks & Recreation Department. Edwards will be closed between Greenfield and Coolidge. Residents north of 12 Mile will have to use Webster or Morrison. (See attached parade route.)  

CruiseFest will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Roseland Park Cemetery, traveling west on 12 Mile Road to Greenfield, where classic cars then will head back toward Woodward Avenue.

Price said at least 460 classic cars have been registered for the event. 

The parade will have two grand marshals: Army Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Leach, 1-504th 82nd Airborne Division, who served two deployments to Iraq, including during the initial invasion, and WXYZ, Channel 7 reporter Glenda Lewis.

Throughout the evening Friday, there will be plenty of opportunities for fun.

• 6-9 p.m.: Children’s inflatable games will be set up between Tyler and Gardner, north of 12 Mile. There is no admission fee for the games, but all children must wear socks to use the inflatables.
•  7:30-9 p.m.: The Tri-Community Coalition will sponsor a Street Dance on Griffith Street north of 12 Mile.
• 7-9:30 p.m.: Twistin Tarantulas will perform at 12 Mile and Robina.  
• 9:30-11 p.m.: Aaron Vaughn Band will perform at 12 Mile and Robina. 
• All evening: Food and beverages will available for purchase throughout the downtown business district.

Official Woodward Dream Cruise merchandise booths selling hats, pins, dash flaps, magnetics, T-shirts, polos and cups will be set up on Woodward and in downtown Berkley. Cash and checks will be accepted.

The main booth is located on the northwest corner of 12 Mile and Woodward. It will be open from 2 p.m. until approximately 10 p.m. (or when business slows significantly) through Friday. The booth also will be open Saturday from approximately 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Berkley Junior Women's Club member Cinda Coon said.

Other booths will be located at the following intersections:

• Edgewood and Woodward
• Catalpa and Woodward
• Cambridge and Woodward
• Robina and 12 Mile

The merchandise sales are a big income generator for community groups including the Tri-Community Coalition, Berkley Junior Women's Club, Moms' Club, Berkley Bear Athletic Boosters and Berkley-Huntington Woods Youth Assistance.

Also on Friday night — away from the hubbub of downtown Berkley — the ninth annual to benefit Forgotten Harvest will be held from 6-10 p.m. at . The red-carpet event will feature chilled champagne, food samples from Metro Detroit, live entertainment and a silent auction. Tickets cost $150 ($100 of which is tax deductible) and are available at forgottenharvest.org.

If that's not enough for you, that other event — the Woodward Dream Cruise — will take place Saturday. There will be no Berkley street closures, but participants are asked to take note of new posted parking signs and fire routes, Deputy Director Robert North said.

With more than 1 million people expected to gather for the Woodward Dream Cruise, the is gearing up to ensure the event goes off without a hitch, he said. North advises participants to follow all laws and be aware of their surroundings.

"Keep your kids in sight and close to you," North urged. "We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable time."

More information: Follow Berkley CruiseFest on Facebook.

Click here for more Dream Cruise coverage on Berkley Patch.