The Detroit-area car show that a Ferndale, MI, plumber conceived of to raise money for a children’s soccer field in 1995 grew into one of the premiere car events in the United States. House stewarded fifteen versions of the Woodward Dream Cruise, helping it grow into the World's largest one-day car show. Just nine days before this year's event, House succumbed to colon cancer.
Images: Detroit Free Press
His original idea was to have a car show at a local car dealer on Woodward Avenue. After the event was done House thought a cruise down Woodward Avenue would be a nice way to finish the day. Later, local radio station WOMC 104.3 mentioned the event during a broadcast and instead of the expected 250 cars, ten time that number arrived to celebrate the glory days of Woodward Avenue.
The 16th Annual Woodward Dream Cruise falls on the third Saturday of August and now supports more than 100 local area charities. Up to 40,000 speciality and enthusiast cars descend on nine cities that line Woodward Avenue, north of Detroit. Those cars bring along 1.5 million visitors to the city and an economic impact exceeding $55 million every year.
The contribution from the 2006 Super Bowl XL at Ford Field barely comes close at an estimated $49.3 million. For merchants along Woodward Avenue, the event is bigger than Christmas and Memorial Day together. For the automotive enthusiast, it is an event not to be missed. And, enthusiasts do come... from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the former Soviet Union. North American cruisers from California, Georgia, Canada and virtually everywhere in between.
According to Mayor Craig Covey, the Ferndale City Council had passed a resolution "dedicating this year's Dream Cruise to Nelson." A Michigan native, House moved to Ferndale in 1981 and had been a effective community activist ever since.
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Nelson House, Dream Cruise Founder, Dies at 69
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