More than 40,000 classic cars will cruise 16 miles of Woodward Avenue on Saturday, Aug. 15, and Farmington-area residents can ride SMART's free shuttle to watch the spectacle without fighting for a parking spot.
The 31st annual Woodward Dream Cruise runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through nine Oakland County communities: Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, Royal Oak, Pleasant Ridge and Pontiac. Admission is free.
Oakland County posted the event details to X on Thursday, Aug. 13, directing residents to the official Dream Cruise website for route maps and spectator spots.
Getting there
SMART will run free shuttle service along Woodward between the Jason Hargrove Transit Center and downtown Pontiac all day Saturday. Riders can board at any red SMART stop or FAST stop along the avenue. The first southbound shuttle leaves Huron and Perry at 9 a.m.; the first northbound shuttle departs Hargrove at 10 a.m. Shuttle service runs until 10 p.m., according to SMART's detour page.
Regular fares still apply on all other SMART routes Saturday. SMART Customer Care is available at (866) 962-5515 with extended phone hours until 8:30 p.m.
Municipal parking is available in Birmingham, Ferndale, Pontiac and Royal Oak for those who drive.
What to expect
The Dream Cruise draws nearly one million spectators each year to watch muscle cars, street rods, customs and collector vehicles parade along the historic corridor. The event started in 1995 as a small Ferndale fundraiser for a kids' soccer field and has grown into what organizers call North America's largest celebration of automotive culture.
SMART will staff an outreach tent from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday in the Woodward Corners parking lot east of Panera Bread at Woodward and 13 Mile Road, with free giveaways for attendees.
The full visitor guide, including a route map and restaurant listings, is available at woodwarddreamcruise.com.
Local car culture calendar
Farmington Hills residents who can't make it Saturday still have a weekly option closer to home. The Westside Rod & Custom Car Club hosts a free car show every Wednesday from 4 p.m. to dusk through October at 27835 Shiawassee in Farmington Hills, featuring food, music and door prizes.
The Berkley CruiseFest Classic Car Parade kicks off Dream Cruise weekend at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, featuring cars from 1979 or older.
