Community Corner

Your Guide to Berkley CruiseFest

Find out what's happening when Friday, as well as who the grand marshals will be and what's in the weather forecast.

Berkley CruiseFest is finally here and we've got the scoop on everything you need to know to enjoy the celebration, including the weather forecast, grand marshal profiles, a schedule of events, tips on where to buy event merchandise and photos from last year.

The festivities begin Friday with sidewalk sales during the day and continue into the night with live music until 11, according to CruiseFest committee chairman Marc Coon.

, as well as live music during the evening's festivities.

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Weather forecast

The high Friday in Berkley will be 73 degrees under mostly sunny skies with a northwest wind blowing at 8 to 11 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service. The low Friday night will be approximately 54 degrees under partly cloudy skies with a northwest wind of 6 to 9 mph. So, make sure to take a sweater or jacket with you to the parade!

Grand marshals

The parade will have two grand marshals: Master Sgt. Jeff Rector of the Michigan Army Reserve and .

Find out what's happening in Huntington Woods-Berkleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Rector served with last year's CruiseFest grand marshal Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Leach on a casualty assistance team that helped with the burial of veterans and active-duty soldiers, said Judge Advocate Dale Goodcourage of in Berkley. "What we've been trying to do is get a real hero," to serve as grand marshal, Goodcourage said. "Having a true hero and a soldier is pretty cool." Leach, a reservist from Ferndale, died in June while on active duty in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He had previously served two tours in Iraq.

Olivia will be a sophomore at this fall. "We wanted to get away from celebrity (grand marshals) and, since it was the first year for Miss Berkley Days, we thought is would be a great fit," Coon said. He added that Olivia is enthusiastic about participating in the parade. "She is just jazzed about it," Coon said. "She just thinks it's great."

2012 Berkley CruiseFest Schedule of Events

  • All day: Sidewalk sales throughout the Berkley business district.
  • 5 p.m.: Parade staging at begins. 
  • 6 p.m.: Twelve Mile Road closes.
  • 6-9 p.m.: Kids inflatable games (north side of 12 Mile Road, between Tyler and Gardner).
  • 6:30 p.m.: Berkley CruiseFest classic car parade (along 12 Mile)
  • 7:30-9 p.m.: Tri-Community Coalition Street Dance (Griffith, north of 12 Mile).
  • 7:30-9 p.m.: Live music by The Reflections (12 Mile at Robina Avenue).
  • 9:30-11 p.m.: Live Music by The Avenue (12 Mile at Robina).
  • All evening: Block party with games, prizes, food and movies (at Phillips and 12 Mile on the north side).
  • All evening: DTE Energy booth open for games, prizes and more (at Griffith and 12 Mile, across from the TCC street dance).
  • All evening: Food and beverages available for purchase throughout the downtown business district and at the food court (Robina south of 12 Mile).

When, where to buy Berkley CruiseFest gear

Men's, women's and children's T-shirts, as well as women's tank tops, are available for purchase, Berkley Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Darlene Rothman said.

The CruiseFest shirts, whose logo was designed by student , are sold as a fundraiser for the Chamber of Commerce, Coon said.

The shirts are available at the following locations.

The shirts also will be sold downtown under the Berkley marquee during CruiseFest on Friday.

American Legion members will sell wristbands – similar to those worn by cancer awareness advocates – for $3 on Friday at Post 374 and along 12 Mile Road. The money raised will be used to build a Fallen Soldier Battle Cross monument at Post 374 that will be dedicated next spring.

Berkley Patch was out and about during last year's . Whether you want to relive the experience or missed it altogether, we've got some of the highlights, plus dozens of pictures.

Stay tuned to Berkley Patch for updates on the 2012 Berkley CruiseFest.


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