Oakland County sheriff talks Woodward Dream Cruise safety
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said this year's Woodward Dream Cruise was largely safe despite an uptick in fights, burnouts and speeding that prompted law enforcement to increase enforcement Saturday.
The annual event drew an estimated more than 1 million people and 30,000 to 40,000 vehicles over several days along the 16-mile stretch of Woodward Avenue.
Bouchard said deputies encountered several incidents during Saturday's festivities, including a large fight at Duggan's Irish Pub in Royal Oak that resulted in eight arrests.
"We had a number of people that wanted to fight," Bouchard said.
Video from the incident showed a large brawl as law enforcement moved in to break up the fight and restore order.
"It's supposed to be a fun family event, and it was cleaned up expeditiously," Bouchard said.
Beyond the fighting, Bouchard said authorities noticed a slight increase in drivers performing burnouts and speeding along the heavily congested Woodward Avenue corridor.
"This is not the place to test the capability and speed of a car," Bouchard said. "In a super congested area surrounded by people, that's a recipe for a tragedy."
Two crashes were reported during the event, according to the sheriff. Neither resulted in serious injuries.
Law enforcement agencies traditionally try to maintain a relatively relaxed presence during the Dream Cruise, Bouchard said, because the event is intended to be a family-friendly celebration of cars and Metro Detroit's automotive history.
But as some attendees pushed the limits Saturday, he said officers and deputies were forced to intervene more aggressively.
"We try to be very relaxed in the policing of the event because it's a nice family event, but some people were pushing the boundaries, so we had to tighten down on Saturday to make sure no one got hurt," Bouchard said.
Bouchard urged drivers planning to attend future Dream Cruises to remember the event is a cruise, not an opportunity to race or test their vehicles' performance.
Despite the arrests, crashes and reckless driving, Bouchard said the incidents should be viewed in the context of the enormous number of people and vehicles that traveled to the Woodward corridor.
With more than 1 million attendees and tens of thousands of vehicles participating, Bouchard said the 2026 Woodward Dream Cruise was, overall, a safe event.
