Originally Posted by 2012 Black 5.0

I'm a local and have been going since 2006. i have to echo the thing about the police. I used to live in Birmingham within a few blocks of woodward. My friends and i used to walk to woodward pulling coolers of beer. We'd sit down there drinking and enjoying the cars. It was very much like a tailgate scene but with MILES of cars. Last year i witnessed multiple cops asking people to open coolers so they could check for alcohol. So if u were thinking its a drinking event for spectators, it certainly is not. The cops write tickets for just about everything. I've never heard of someone actually getting a ticket for j walking, but someone i work with claims they did last year. The police really put a damper on the event. I swear that Saturday has to be the most profitable day of the year for the Royal Oak police dept.

That said, i've been to car shows, races, and cruises all over the country and have never witnessed a car event bigger than this. A guy from work who went last year for the first time compared it (in size) to bike week in Daytona. I've never been to bike week so I don't know how accurate that statement actually is. Wikipedia says, "The Woodward Dream Cruise is the world’s largest one-day automotive event, drawing about 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars each year from around the globe."

Also, not sure if you're going to try to park at mustang alley, but parking on or near woodward will be difficult. Parking lots along woodward charge to park and most spots are reserved well in advance of the actual cruise. Expect to park quite a ways away and walk. I usually have to walk over a mile to get to woodward now that i no longer live in b'ham.