How a Ferndale fundraiser became the Woodward Dream Cruise

The Woodward Dream Cruise began as a small fundraiser for a soccer field in Ferndale and has grown into the world's largest car cruising event. It draws nearly a million people each summer.

The annual celebration stretches along Woodward Avenue through Ferndale, Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods, Royal Oak, Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township and Pontiac.

"Ferndale is where the dream began in 1995," Woodward Dream Cruise president Michael Lary said. "Nelson House, a resident of Ferndale, is the one who thought of the idea, went to city council, got approval and support. From that, it grew into what it is today as the world's largest car cruising event on historical Woodward Avenue."

For many families, organizers say the stories shared during the cruise matter just as much as the vehicles themselves.

"And that's when I actually sat down and heard a grandfather talking to his grandchildren about his car back when he was their age, 16 years old, and it literally brought a tear to his eye," Lary said.

Each year, Dream Cruise organizers also unveil a new commemorative design for the event, something many attendees look forward to collecting.

"We have one that's in here; it's a roadster that was the biggest flop of the 31 years," Lary said with a laugh. "Why we chose that: they thought that was the bomb, and it turned out to be a bomb."

Asked which design from the past three decades is his favorite, Lary pointed to one with a retro diner-style look.

"Actually, I really like this one because I think it's so retro. I think it's fun. It reminds me of the old diner signs when you'd drive down Woodward Avenue," Lary said. "I'm looking forward to revealing the new one for this year."

From classic cruisers to new memories still being made, the Woodward Dream Cruise remains a celebration of Michigan's automotive culture and the roadway that helped drive America forward.