If you spent last week revving up for the classic car parade, Saturday cruising and Sunday recovering from the celebration of all things automotive, we're here to catch you up on the stories and photos you might have missed!
We shared a lot of good information about the Woodward Dream Cruise and want to make sure you didn't miss a thing, so here are some highlights: Sign up for the Berkley Patch e-mail newsletter to get the latest updates all week.
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We've got the scoop on news, interesting tidbits and people profiles from Saturday.
The ground rumbled and the air thundered Saturday as the Woodward Dream Cruise roared through Berkley and Huntington Woods. The classic car parade and prime people-watching event was expected to attract 1.5 million people and 40,000 cars to a 16-mile stretch of the historic avenue from Ferndale to Pontiac. In celebration, house parties spilled out onto sun-dappled lawns and spectators staked out spots along Woodward. "It's wonderful. We're really enjoying it," said Dorothea Billinger of Detroit, who watched the cruise from a spot outside Flagstar Bank in Berkley. "I'm a cruiser. We go to all the car shows." Read on for a recap of the day's events from Berkley and Huntington Woods! [Click here to get updates from the entire strip.] 9:44 p.m…
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It's been a blast bringing all the great cars, stories and characters to you all day long. Check back tomorrow for the latest photos and news from Dream Cruise 2012.
9 pm: The 2012 Woodward Dream Cruise is now "officially" over, though cruisers and spectators will linger for hours. It's been a blast serving up vignettes from along the 16-mile cruise route all day. Many thanks to you for checking in, and to the Patch crew for providing the coverage you've been following throughout the day. Check back tomorrow for the photos you missed and the latest news from the event. So long everybody. - Don Wyatt, Patch.com 8:50 pm: There's just minutes left of official cruising time for the 2012 Woodward Dream Cruise and people are still out in full force in Ferndale enjoying the sights. If you missed the Classics & Cruis’n Legends Vehicle Show, you missed WW II veteran Jimmy Wolfe. This 92-year-old resident of …
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Hundreds of classic cars parade along 12 Mile Road before an evening of festivities downtown Friday.
Berkley CruiseFest went off without a hitch Friday, with hundreds of classic cars parading along 12 Mile Road, to the delight of onlookers, before an evening of festivities kicked off downtown. Three-hundred and fifty cars – with license plates from as far away as Alaska – participated in the annual event on the eve of the Woodward Dream Cruise and everything went according to plan, Berkley CruiseFest Committee chairman Marc Coon said. The festivities began with sidewalk sales earlier in the day and continued into the night with live music scheduled until 11. DTE Energy donated $25,000 to sponsor this year's classic car parade, as well as live music during the evening. The parade had two grand marshals: Master Sgt. Jeff Rector of the …
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Westborn Market in Berkley hosts the 10th annual fundraiser for the Metro Detroit food charity.
The sold-out 10th annual Champagne Cruise fundraiser for Detroit area charity Forgotten Harvest was held Friday evening at Westborn Market in Berkley. Classic cars cruised past along Woodward Avenue on the eve of the Dream Cruise as Champagne Cruise attendees gathered under a tent in Westborn's parking lot to eat, drink, talk and dance. Motown-style band Modern Tribe performed and silent and live auctions were held while local restaurants including Crispelli's, Slow's Bar BQ and What Crepe? provided the evening's food. Susan Goodell, president and CEO of Forgotten Harvest, thanked Westborn Market for its years of cooperation with the charity and presented an award to Westborn president Mark Anusbigian. Goodell said huge amounts of usable …
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The new Berkley restaurant will get its first taste of the classic car parade this Saturday.
The event will generate approximately $56 million for businesses in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties – as well as international exposure for the area – but some merchants along the route say their sales take a dive during the event.
The Woodward Dream Cruise brings big bucks and international exposure to communities along the historic avenue each August, but business owners say the event is a blessing and a curse. The cruise benefits the region as a whole – with hotels and restaurants throughout Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties coming out as winners – but results in soft sales and shuttered doors for many merchants along the 16-mile parade route that stretches from Ferndale to Pontiac. Michael O'Callaghan, executive vice president and COO of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, said Friday that the Dream Cruise – which is expected to attract 1.5 million people – brings in approximately $56 million for businesses in the three-county area. "The real true …
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9:47 am on Monday, August 20, 2012
I am on the "like it" side of the Dream Cruise. However, there is an aspect of it that is not "Oh well, it happens every year, it is out of our control, and there is nothing we can do about it." And that would be the city's decision to close down 9 mile from Planavon to Hilton. The city does not have to do this. They do it by choice. The Dream Cruise would still go through Ferndale via Woodward … more ›
The high Saturday is expected to reach 74 degrees under mostly sunny skies, a stark contrast to last year's stormy weather.
We know it's hard to accurately predict the weather in Michigan, but it looks like the stars are aligning in favor of this year's Woodward Dream Cruise. According to the National Weather Service, the high Saturday is expected to reach 74 degrees under mostly sunny skies – perfect cruising weather. That forecast is in stark contrast to last year's event, which was nearly rained out halfway through by a sudden and severe line of thunderstorms. In total, 60,000 DTE customers throughout Metro Detroit lost power that fateful Dream Cruise Saturday, with dozens of trees and power lines knocked down by 60-mile-per-hour winds. In response, the Woodward Dream Cruise was shut down early, though cruisers returned to the streets after the skies cleared…
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From a "Cars in Art" attraction in Ferndale to a 5K in Royal Oak, find out what's debuting at this year's cruise.
So you think you know the Dream Cruise? Here's something you might not have seen before: Tattoo artists making art on cargo vans. That's one of many attractions debuting at this year's Woodward Dream Cruise. [Guide to the 2012 Dream Cruise here.] Here's a look at what else is new this year, from Ferndale to Bloomfield Hills and in between. Two unique attractions are featured for the first time this year as part of Ferndale's three-day cruise: Cars in Art and Restoration Academy, both taking place on Nine Mile Road. Cars in Art will feature local tattoo artists painting automotive murals on the body of cargo vans. Restoration Academy is a team of Metro Detroit students and retired automotive engineers who will build a classic car on …
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Alternate routes for emergency vehicles Saturday include mile roads, neighborhood streets, Coolidge Highway and Greenfield Road, officials say.
There is no easy solution for public safety vehicles trying to access Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak during the Woodward Dream Cruise, officials say. Law enforcers and ambulance drivers do their best to avoid Woodward Avenue during the event – which is expected to attract 40,000 classic cars Saturday – and would have to rely on their lights and sirens, along with the common sense of other motorists, to get through should an emergency occur on the historic roadway. "I do think, generally speaking, there is definitely a blind spot that the hospital is right there," said Laurie Thiel, CEO of Alliance Mobile Health, which provides ambulance service to Berkley, Oak Park, Huntington Woods, Beverly Hills and Troy. "There is not a clear-cut plan …
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Anna Troppens
6:06 pm on Saturday, August 18, 2012
Sounds cool! more ›