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August 14, 2008 at 1:00 am

Woodward Dream Cruise: A city-by-city guide

  • By Michael H. Hodges
  • The Detroit News
  • Comments

If the heady whiff of exhaust gets your blood going, this is your weekend.

Metro Detroit's delirious salute to piston-driven power -- the 14th annual Woodward Dream Cruise -- roars out of the gate this Saturday.

But anyone who's driven up Woodward Avenue in the past few weeks, cheek-by-jowl with hundreds of cars that look like they were borrowed from the "Happy Days" set, couldn't help but recognize that this auto-lovin' orgy -- which annually draws some 40,000 cars, and more than 1 million spectators -- is already well under way.

Naturally, there's music, food and entertainment aplenty from now through the end of the weekend -- in addition to a nonstop parade of cars so lush and stylized, they could make a grown man weep.

So peruse the schedule below, and figure out where to plug yourself in along Woodward's 16 miles of glittering chrome and steel.

Berkley

Friday

Berkley CruiseFest 2008

  • 6-9 p.m.: Children's activities, Tyler Avenue, north of 12 Mile. Inflatable play area and Metro Parent Magazine display.

  • 6:30 p.m.: Classic Car Parade, Roseland Park Cemetery, 12 Mile (between Woodward Avenue and Greenfield Road).

  • 7:30-9 p.m.: Young Adult Street Dance (Griffith Avenue, north of 12 Mile), Tri-Community Coalition-sponsored dance with DJ.

  • 7:30-11 p.m.: Two bands sponsored by MotorCity Casino perform at 12 Mile and Robina Avenue.

    Birmingham

    Saturday

  • 8 a.m.-7 p.m.: Live music, children's activities and automotive exhibits with more than 1,000 classic cars on display in downtown Birmingham.

    Bloomfield Township

    Saturday

  • 1-5 p.m.: Classic Car Show (Mercedes-Benz of Bloomfield Hills, Telegraph south of Quarton roads), with an eclectic mix of special-interest cars, food, entertainment and views of some of the best action along the famed avenue.

    Ferndale

    The Retrofest, all weekend, a kids' play zone, Cruiz'n Food Court and Rouge Factory Mobile Tour, on West Nine Mile.

    Friday

    Retrofest entertainment schedule:

  • 1 p.m.: Firestorm (stage east)

  • 3 p.m.: Rich Satterfield (stage east)

  • 3 p.m.: SRB Band (stage west)

  • 5 p.m.: Woodward Dream Cruise Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony (stage east)

  • 5 p.m.: The Reefermen (stage west)

  • 6 p.m.: Legend, the Band (stage east)

  • 7 p.m.: Barbara Payton (stage west)

    Saturday

    14th Ferndale Classic Car Show and 10th Mustang Alley Show, East Nine Mile.

    Dream Cruise Nerd Fest, Detroit Comics, 23333 Woodward Ave., with the Detroit Derby Girls, wrestler D Ray 3000.

    Retrofest entertainment schedule:

  • 11:30 a.m.: Paisley Fogg (stage west)

  • Noon: Clear Avenue Band (stage east)

  • 2 p.m.: Cass Avenue Ramblers (stage west)

  • 3 p.m.: Kevin Tee and the Firebirds (stage east)

  • 4:30 p.m.: Rock's Gang (stage west)

  • 7 p.m.: Shout! Beatles Tribute Band (stage west)

    Sunday

    Retrofest entertainment schedule:

  • Noon: Terrie Lea and the Mustangs (stage west)

  • 3 p.m.: The Profilerz (stage west)

    Huntington Woods

    Friday

  • 7-9 p.m.: Family Party at Chase Bank on Woodward Avenue. Pre-registration is required at the Huntington Woods Recreation Center, 26325 Scotia St.

    Saturday

  • All day: Carnival-type entertainment and food, Huntington Woods Recreation Center, 26325 Scotia St. In-person registration required at the Huntington Woods Recreation Center.

    Pleasant Ridge

    Friday

  • 6-10 p.m.: NextCruise VIP Preview, Memorial Park on Woodward Avenue (in front of Pleasant Ridge City Hall).

    Saturday

  • All day: NextCruise static display and ride/drive, Memorial and Stevenson parks on Woodward Avenue (in front of Pleasant Ridge City Hall).

    Pontiac

    Today

  • 6-11 p.m.: City Employee Appreciation featuring Motown Sounds, Charles Anthony, Nu-Identity, Live D.J. Sock Hop (Motor City Casino Stage-WOMC) held throughout downtown Pontiac.

    Friday

  • Noon-9 p.m.: Country Western Stage (Saginaw and Huron streets)

  • Noon-9 p.m.: Smooth Jazz Stage (Hidden River Park on Saginaw Street)

  • 4:30-5:30 p.m.: Quincy Stewart & Jazz Quintet (Hidden River Park on Saginaw Street, Smooth Jazz V 98.7 stage)

  • 6:30-7 p.m.: The POH Classic Car Cruise Parade (taking place at the Woodward Loop)

  • 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Blue Diamond Band (Plaza Level MotorCity Casino Stage -- WOMC)

  • 8-9:30 p.m.: Kevin Tee & Firebirds (Plaza Level Motor City Casino Stage -- WOMC)

    Saturday

  • Noon-5:30 p.m.: D.J. Phil Brown (Hidden River Smooth Jazz V 98.7 stage), located at Hidden River Park on Saginaw Street

  • Noon-9 p.m.: Country Western Stage at Saginaw and Huron streets

  • 6-7 p.m.: Nu-Identity (plaza level Motor City Casino Stage -- WOMC)

  • 7:15-8:30 p.m.: Motor City Vipers & Taboo (Plaza Level Motor City Casino Stage -- WOMC)

  • 8-9 p.m.: Nu Strategy (Hidden RiverSmooth Jazz V 98.7 stage), located at Hidden River Park on Saginaw Street

  • 9:30-11 p.m.: Miracles (Plaza Level Motor City Casino Stage -- WOMC)

    Royal Oak

    Today

  • 7 p.m.: Scoot Magoo band -- variety of family entertainment at the Royal Oak Library, 222 E. 11 Mile.

    Friday

  • All day: Kids Zone, Memorial Park, 13 Mile at Woodward Avenue.

    Saturday

  • 9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Royal Oak Grand National race, Northwood Shopping Center, 30935 N. Woodward Ave.

    Cruisin' MotorCities: An Auto Tourism Festival

    MotorCities Dreamakers

    AutoFair

  • 10 a.m.-8 p.m. today-Saturday: Auto Fair spectators, $10/day or $5 for children younger than 12 with an adult. Park and cruise, $15/day, $30 for all three days. Car corral, $25/day. Swap Meet and Parts Market, $25/day, $50 for all three days. State Fairgrounds, Woodward Avenue at Eight Mile, Detroit. For more registration and fee information, call (800) 359-3284 or visit http://www.cruisinmotorcities.org">www.cruisinmotorcities.org.

  • 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday: A Michigan Drive-Thru Memory by Big Boy. Experience car-side or family-friendly picnic table food service and live music when Big Boy transforms the fairgrounds into a drive-thru restaurant. State Fairgrounds, Detroit. The event features a Woodward Legends Reunion Party from 6-10 p.m. Friday for $50, and Salute to the Troops from 1-4 p.m. Saturday with cookout and entertainment for $25.

    Woodward Dream Cruise

    Downtown Detroit Event

  • 11 a.m.-3 p.m. today: Model Ts Live at Campus Martius Park, Woodward and Michigan avenues, Detroit. (313) 963-9393. Free.

  • 4-10 p.m. today: Cars, entertainment and family activities on Madison Street in downtown Detroit. Sponsored by MotorCity Casino Hotel.

  • 4-9 p.m. today: Detroit Riverfront Conservancy fundraiser at the Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St. $125 includes hors d'oeuvres from the Whitney Restaurant, chamber music, cruising songs, Woodward Dream Cruise VIP Cruiser membership and parking. For tickets, visit www.cruisinmotorcities.org.

    You can reach Michael H. Hodges at (313) 222-6021 or mhodges@detnews.com">mhodges@detnews.com.

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    Woodward Dream Cruise: A city-by-city guide

    Metro Detroit's delirious salute to piston-driven power -- the 14th annual Woodward Dream Cruise -- roars out of the gate this Saturday.

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