You may have had a perfectly good reason for not attending this past weekend's Woodward Dream Cruise through metro Detroit. Maybe you were at the high-brow concours on the West Coast, or you just couldn't handle a muggy 90 degrees, exacerbated by more than 30,000 classic cars (and way too many dull, daily drivers) inching along six lanes of traffic, instead of actually cruising.
Or, if you live along the Woodward corridor that stretches from 8 Mile Road in Ferndale all the way to Pontiac, Michigan, well, you've been living with "dream cruise" noise for a few months already. There's a good chance you were a long way from home this past weekend and missed the 30th birthday party for the Dream Cruise.
So, here are some highlights from Friday, Aug. 15, from earlier in the day, when you could actually drive one mile on certain parts of Woodward in less than 15 minutes. You'll see photos of Ford vehicles parked on 9 Mile Road in Ferndale, along with a fantastic collection of historic emergency vehicles.
And arguably one of the best events from Dream Cruise weekend is the Friday night CruiseFest parade through Berkley, where 12 Mile Road is closed so thousands of car lovers can sit on the curb and appreciate about 400 examples of the finest classic sheetmetal, much of it from Detroit. If you're luck enough to have a car in this parade, you line up inside Roseland Park Cemetery and have about an hour to walk around, admire all the cars, and talk to their owners.
2025 Ford Bronco Stroppe Special Edition
Bill Stroppe pioneered off-road competition for Ford and established the foundation under today’s Bronco.
2025 Ford Bronco Stroppe Special Edition
Modern Bronco Stroppe Special Edition shares the same G.O.A.T. spirit but complements it with standard Fox Internal Bypass Dampers.
2025 Ford Bronco Stroppe Special Edition
The Stroppe Edition has an EcoBoost 2.7-liter V6 and a standard Stabilizer Bar Disconnect, High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension 3.0 (HOSS 3.0), and 35-inch Goodyear Territory RT tires.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
Extending from the Ford corral along 9 Mile Road in Ferndale was a fine collection of classic emergency vehicles—some more familiar than others, like the Starsky and Hutch Gran Torino.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
Jake and Elwood's Bluesmobile—this one didn't fall apart at the end of the movie.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
1957 Pontiac police cruiser from Ontario.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
Officer McManikin in his 1957 Pontiac police cruiser from Ontario.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
1957 Pontiac police cruiser from Ontario.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
1967 Plymouth Belvedere, the Adam-12 Tribute Car.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
Plymouth Fury Patroller.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
This Michigan State Police 1968 Plymouth Fury started service in West Branch with a 375-hp V8 and a top speed approaching 150 mph.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
Georgia State Patrol Mustang.
Ford Mustang GTD
Ford Mustang GTD
Ford Mustang GTD
Ford Mustang GTD
Emergency Vehicle Classics
This vintage Ferndale Fire Department sedan still has its shiny hood ornament.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
A Japanese kei van ready for anything.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
A Japanese kei van firetruck dwarfed by a fullsize American pumper truck.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
This Ford truck (next to a much newer Ford pumper) takes us even deeper into firefighting history.
Emergency Vehicle Classics
Who ya gonna call?
Emergency Vehicle Classics
You're calling the Ghostbusters!
Not sure who let this vintage Chevy Corvair pickup into the Ford corral in Ferndale.
Classic first-gen Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang Mach-E Pikes Peak Race Car
Romain Dumas drove this at the 2025 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, winning its class as the fastest electric car.
Ford Mustang Mach-E Pikes Peak Race Car
Romain Dumas drove this at the 2025 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, winning its class as the fastest electric car.
That's the new Ford Maverick Lobo parked on 9 Mile.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
Malcolm Bricklin's SV-1 (Safety Vehicle 1) was produced from 1974 to 1976, and this one awaits the beginning of the Berkley CruiseFest parade.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
This 1952 Volvo 444 owned by Jerry and Sharon Legato has done the Woodward Dream Cruise many times. Here, it awaits the beginning of the Berkley CruiseFest parade.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
Lots of Detroit muscle in Berkley CruiseFest parade.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
Aqua 1956 pickup.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
1955 Buick Super Riviera gets a little attention before rolling out for the parade.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
Lots of Detroit muscle in Berkley CruiseFest parade, including this 1973 Plymouth Road Runner.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
MG kit car.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
A 1977 Pontiac Trans Am trimmed out from the hit movie, Smokey and the Bandit. And look who's in pursuit!
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
Sheriff Buford T. Justice and his bumbling son will be driving the 1977 Pontiac LeMans, trimmed with the same paint and interior as the movie car, right behind the Trans Am. The family takes both cars on parade tours around the US.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
1926 Dodge four-door.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
1926 Dodge four-door.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
Underappreciated 1963 Chevy Corvair.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
"Fintastic" 1961 Chrysler Newport.
Lining Up for Berkley CruiseFest Parade
This 1953 Packard Patrician belongs to Autoweek Executive Editor Tom Murphy.
Berkley CruiseFest Parade Afterglow
Autoweek alumni Graham Kozak owns this 1952 Packard 200 Deluxe 4-door Touring Sedan (left), while the 1953 Packard Patrician belongs to Autoweek Executive Editor Tom Murphy.
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