patching...
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

Wdc Berkley

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Recap: Woodward Dream Cruise in Berkley, Huntington Woods (with Photos)

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…

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Cash or Credit? Pay for Woodward Dream Cruise Gear With Either in Berkley

The option to use plastic is new this year in the city and organizers hope it will boost sales revenue.

Shoppers looking to snap up Woodward Dream Cruise merchandise in Berkley will be able to pay with plastic this year, a change that organizers hope will boost sales. The City Council recently approved a contract that will allow First Data Merchant Services to process credit and debit card transactions made by community service organizations in the field, as well as at the Berkley Parks & Recreation Department. The transactions will be encrypted and the money will be deposited directly into the city of Berkley's account at Flagstar Bank. First Data is the preferred vendor of Flagstar Bank. Parks & Recreation Director Tom Colwell, who also serves as the city's Woodward Dream Cruise representative, said Wednesday that approximately 30 percent …

Woodward Dream Cruise a Nightmare for Some

Residents and business owners who are fed up with the event and the activity that precedes it sound off on Facebook.

The Woodward Dream Cruise is expected to attract 1.5 million people to a 16-mile stretch of the historic avenue this Saturday – with the build-up stretching out for days, weeks and months in advance – creating a nightmare of gridlock and noise that has inspired some residents and businesses along the route to voice their disdain on Facebook. Many of those who take issue with the classic car parade on social media say they soured on the event once it began to affect their qualilty of life beyond just the day of the cruise. The Cruisers Go Home page created by Pleasant Ridge resident Jeanne Ruzzin, for example, had nearly 200 likes Tuesday and lively conversation. Ruzzin said it's not the Dream Cruise that she and her neighbors along the …

Comment_arrow

JH

10:06 am on Friday, August 17, 2012

I like this idea. I am a big car fan, but not being able to cross Woodward is a problem - especially considering there is a fire department at Woodward & 13 and Beaumont is just down 13 mile west of Woodward... this is a public safety issue & intersections should not be blocked.   more ›

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Where's the Best Spot to Watch the Dream Cruise in Berkley, Huntington Woods?

We need your help to compile a best-of-the-best list of places to park your lawn chair for Saturday's classic car parade.

When it comes to the Woodward Dream Cruise, the lawn chairs start coming out early. Beginning with the first nice weekend evening of the summer, folks have been out all along Woodward Avenue – from Ferndale to Bloomfield Hills – to watch the cruisers roll past. But now that the countdown to the official Dream Cruise has begun, we're wondering: What's the best spot to watch all the action in Berkley and Huntington Woods? Leave your favorite Dream Cruise viewing spot in the comments below, and we'll use them to compile a list for the end of the week, as you begin to prepare for Saturday. Also, let us know if there are any spots Dream Cruise fans should definitely avoid. For more on the Cruise, visit Your Guide to the Woodward Dream Cruise.

Frank Malek

1:29 pm on Wednesday, August 15, 2012

13 mile & Woodward @ Northwood Center: View parked classics, hot rods, customs till dusk, & bring your chair to sit at the strip!!   more ›

Monday, August 13, 2012

Champagne Cruise to Benefit Forgotten Harvest is Friday

The 10th annual event ahead of the Woodward Dream Cruise will raise money to help feed hungry Metro Detroit families.

The 10th annual Champagne Cruise to benefit Forgotten Harvest will be held Friday at Westborn Market in Berkley. The luxe event gives participants the opportunity to view classic cars on the eve of the Woodward Dream Cruise as they sip champagne, enjoy appetizers and raise money to help feed hungry Metro Detroit families.

Your Guide to the Woodward Dream Cruise

Here's a roundup of events happening this week in Patch towns along the historic avenue leading up to the classic car parade Saturday.

The muscle cars, street rods, collector- and special-interest vehicles have been roaring down Woodward Avenue for months in anticipation of the Woodward Dream Cruise, which will be held Saturday on the historic Woodward Avenue. “As soon as the weather gets warm, people start cruising,” Tina Stefanski of Caribou Coffee on Woodward in Royal Oak said. “We'll get people that come in from out of state weeks before the cruise.” More than 50,000 cruisers are expected to hit the pavement from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday during the 18th annual Woodward Dream Cruise. The event began in 1995 in Ferndale as a fundraiser for a soccer field. That year, 250,000 people showed up to reminiscence about the glory days of cruising down Woodward Avenue, one of …

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Poll: When Should Cruising Begin?

The Woodward Dream Cruise classic car parade will be held Aug. 18, but cruisers and fans already have gotten in the spirit along the historic avenue – is it too soon?

They've been out for weeks now, the cruisers and their fans, and the nightly buzz is building ahead of the Woodward Dream Cruise on Aug. 18 – a joyful sound to some and a headache to others. The celebration of Metro Detroit's car culture, which takes place the third Saturday of each August, draws more than 1 million visitors to a 16-mile stretch of the historic avenue from Ferndale to Pontiac. This year's event – the 18th annual cruise – will run between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. But that hasn't stopped classic car buffs from getting an early start. Public safety officials remind cruisers that they are required to follow normal traffic rules, which means racing and squealing tires and are not permitted. Are you enjoying the sights and sounds of …

Buddyb

7:03 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012

I've been a Ferndale resident since 1998. I'm all for the Dream Cruise and revenue generated to all the local venues and for putting Ferndale on the map. However, that being said and I'm sure I speak for nearly every resident that resides on a street that is perpendicular and adjacent to Woodward that it is inconvenient at best not to be able to park on your street (not to mention in front of …   more ›

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Woodward Nightmare Cruise Proposed on Short Notice for Halloween Weekend

Ugly cars discussion on Facebook sparks Oct. 29 event plan for Huntington Woods, Berkley, Ferndale and Royal Oak.

The first Woodward Nightmare Cruise for ugly cars is planned next Saturday night as a pre-Halloween event inspired by a Facebook discussion this past week. One commenter, Alan Madeleine of Ferndale, created a poster and Facebook page for an 8 p.m.-midnight Nightmare Cruise on Oct. 29, on Woodward Avenue in Huntington Woods, Berkley, Royal Oak and Ferndale. Cruisers in less-than-pristine vehicles – "hoopties and beaters" – are invited to roll from Eight Mile Road to 13 Mile Road. "Let's see what the interest is," Madeleine said Saturday afternoon, adding: "Make sure your car is road-legal, though." He'll drive a 1998 Toyota Corolla with 91,000 miles, bought this year at Second Chance Auto Sales on West Eight Mile. "It has a rusted blue body…

Jackie Dziedziula

9:18 pm on Sunday, October 23, 2011

How about hold the cruise from 8 Mile to Grand Boulevard. Then it won't be an 'event', but a regular Saturday night!   more ›

Monday, August 22, 2011

What a Weekend: A Woodward Dream Cruise Recap

Whether you missed the event or were too busy cruising to check out the coverage, we've got you covered with a collection of photos and stories from throughout the weekend.

The 17th annual Woodward Dream Cruise rolled through town this weekend when the historic avenue came alive with the rumble of engines from Ferndale to Pontiac, attracting car fans from near and far. On Friday, Berkley kicked off Woodward Dream Cruise weeked with its own classic car parade and party, as well as a swanky, red carpet benefit for Forgotten Harvest. On Saturday afternoon, Mother Nature may have rained on the Dream Cruise, but that didn't stop car buffs from having a blast along the historic corridor throughout the day. The event was officially canceled just before 6 p.m., but die-hards returned to the historic avenue after the rain passed to keep on cruising. Patch was on the scene throughout the weekend, checking out the cars …

Did You Photograph the Dream Cruise? Share Your Woodward Images With Patch Readers

We saw plenty of cameras along Woodward last week. Upload your favorite photos here.

Whether you photographed your own car or your favorite along the route, Patch is inviting Woodward Dream Cruisers to share some images from the week in this photo gallery. To see our photos, visit our Dream Cruise page. To upload a photo to this gallery, you have to be a registered Patch user. Once you're logged in, click "upload" and save your photo. Let us know in the information box a little more about the photo — where and when it was taken — in the captions box.

Got a Hot Tip?
 
 

Videos