[PICS] The Corvettes of the Woodward Dream Cruise

Article and pictures contributed by Steve Burns

The Woodward Dream Cruise is held in mid-August each year. Countless automotive enthusiasts from around the globe converge on historic M-1 in metro Detroit to celebrate all things car and transportation related. What began as a fundraising event for a Ferndale baseball field has evolved into the world’s largest 1 day automotive event. Each year roughly 40,000 collector cars and 1.5 million people gather along the 16 mile stretch of road to relive years gone by when Woodward Avenue was the unofficial proving grounds for Detroit’s latest creations. Click past the jump to check out our Corvette pics from this year’s Dream Cruise.

The official date of the cruise this year was Saturday, August 20th, but eager cruisers start rolling in earnest a week (or more) before that. Traffic moves freely early in the week leading up to the cruise, but slows to a snail’s pace by midday on cruise day. Cars not on the road fill virtually every parking along the way. The sidewalks are shoulder to shoulder with car aficionados talking about, pointing at, or photographing the nearest piece of rolling artwork.

The Woodward Dream Cruise is probably the only place you’ll see a Ferrari followed by Labatt themed beer can car followed by a 69 GTO followed by boat and trailer converted for street driving which is followed by a C1 Corvette which is then followed by a lifted F-250. If it’s on wheels, you’re likely to see it on Woodward. Of course we’re partial Corvettes and they were present too in abundance this year. Cars from all 6 generations rolled up and down the avenue all weekend long and seemed way more prolific than any other make this year.

A late day batch of severe weather rolled through between 4:30 and 5pm. Even the severe storms, power outages, and downed trees couldn’t keep the cruisers away long. Once the weather broke and some of the mess was cleaned up Woodward once again filled up with collector cars until the authorities shut it down at the official end time of 9pm.

Couldn’t make this year? Then check out some of our pics from the 2011 Woodward Dream Cruise below. Or peruse the WDC website for more info on the event. And we’ll see you out there next August!

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[PICS] The Corvettes of the Woodward Dream Cruise