2024 Woodward Dream Cruise: Everything you need to know

Start your engines! The Woodward Dream Cruise is returning this weekend to Woodward Ave., and WXYZ is proud to be an official partner of the Dream Cruise!

Our Woodward Dream Cruise special will air on Channel 7 on Saturday, Aug. 17 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on all your favorite streaming devices.

The Dream Cruise runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. along a 16-mile route of Woodward Ave. It started in 1995 and is held annually on the third Saturday in August.

Below, find everything you need to know about the Woodward Dream Cruise.

Related: See the Dos and Don'ts of the Woodward Dream Cruise in the video below

Dos and Don'ts of the Woodward Dream Cruise

Directions and parking

City of Birmingham: All activities are within walking distance of the city’s downtown parking decks.

City of Ferndale: The municipal parking lots are surrounding downtown Ferndale, near Woodward Avenue & Nine Mile Rd.

City of Pontiac: Municipal parking lots and parking structures are located in surrounding downtown Pontiac.

City of Royal Oak: Guest parking is available at municipal parking lots and walking distance from Woodward.

• Royal Oak Golf Center: Corner of Coolidge and West 13 Mile Rd.
• Gunn Dyer Park: South of Normandy between Coolidge and Woodward.
• Upton Park: South of West 14 mile Rd and Coolidge.

You can also learn more about the parking on the Woodward Dream Cruise parking information Facebook page .

Route map

The Dream Cruise runs 16 miles along Woodward Ave. from Pontiac to Ferndale.

SMART Shuttle

SMART will offer a free Woodward Dream Cruise shuttle bus service where people can see the cruise from the air-conditioned bus.

It runs from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Ferndale to Downtown Pontiac. You can catch the shuttle at any RED SMART or FAST bus stop along Woodward Ave.

Other watch parties and events

Some of the cities along the Dream Cruise route host several other events to go along with the cruise. You can visit the Dream Cruise website for a list of events by city during Dream Cruise weekend.

Related video: Welcome party at Duggan's starts the engines for the 2024 Woodward Dream Cruise

Welcome party at Duggan's starts the engines for the 2024 Woodward Dream Cruise

Public safety information

The Woodward Dream Cruise is an alcohol-free, family-oriented event. As public safety is paramount, cruisers are asked to obey all rules of the road.

Police departments from each community patrol on foot, horseback and vehicles during the Cruise to ensure a safe and family-friendly environment for everyone. A team of amateur radio operators also serve as additional “eyes and ears” of law enforcement officials along the Cruise route.