18th annual car cruise coming to Downtown Wayne

Cruisin’ Downtown Wayne will be hoppin’ on Saturday, July 13th. Photo by John Rhaesa

By Sarah Shurge – Mark your calendars because it’s that time of year again. The much-anticipated, annual car cruise, Cruisin’ US12 will be happening on Saturday, July 13th, from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
For the 18th year in a row, Michigan Avenue and downtown Wayne will be packed with classic and custom cars. For the fourth year in a row, pit stops will be returning up and down Michigan Ave for the community to enjoy, thanks to the City of Wayne Downtown Development Authority’s (DDA) partnership with the cruise.
“Pit stops offer the community the chance to experience the cruise at a different level,” said Lisa Kubany, DDA Marketing and Events Director. “Family or single couple, there’s a little bit for everybody. We gear each pit stop to cater to each crowd.”
This year there will be six pit stops, as well as many honorable mentions to stop at. There will be free air conditioned shuttles running every 20-25 minutes (from noon – 4 p.m.) traveling between shuttle stops located near pit stops. Each pit stop will be marked with a sign and shuttles will be marked as well.
For the 9th year, Harry J. Will Funeral Homes will be hosting Hot Cars and Hot Cakes. Come from 9:30 a.m. – noon. The parking lot opens at 8:30 a.m. Show registration is $15 per car and includes pancake breakfast. Additional tickets for adults are $5.00, kids under 12 are free.
There will be prizes for Best in Show, Most Original, and Show Favorite. There will be special drawings to win a canvas picture of your car and more. Donations are being accepted to benefit childhood mental health.
The second pit stop runs from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Jack Demmer Ford. This stop will have a live band, classic car show, Mustang and Bronco club, and the following food trucks: Hogz Backyard BBQ and King Edward’s Feast.
There will be limited spectator parking available in the east parking lot of the “Preowned” car lot. The shuttle stop will also be located in the east parking lot of “Preowned.”
The third pit stop will run from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. St. Mary’s partnered with Knights of Columbus to make this stop possible. This stop will have a french fry food truck, car show, indoor craft show, activities for kids, and pinewood derby races for kids and adults. The community is encouraged to bring their own derby car. The shuttle stop will be on the west side of the church on Third St. (south of Sims).
The fourth stop is the family fun zone from 1 – 5 p.m. at Wayne Historical Museum, Hillcrest Bible Church, and First Congregational Church. This stop will have carnival games, prizes, outdoor games, race cars from Milan Dragway, and DJ Lutalo (from 2-5 p.m.) from the Dance Academy in Westland. This stop will have the following food trucks: Fun Food Express, Emelias Guac N’Roll Taco Truck, G. Faz Pizza, and SweetJays Bakeshop. The shuttle stop is at Biddle and Park St.
The next stop is the outdoor vendor show in the city lot near Brookie’s Cafe. There will be over 30 local vendors in the field, along with food trucks.
The last pit stop will run from noon – 4 p.m. at Books on the Ave and Karma Coffee. This is a pop-up vendor show. Karma’s kitchen will be open and the patio available for dining. The shuttle stop will be located off Sophia St. behind the tax building.
Porta potties will be listed on the map and stationed at the following locations: Jack Demmer, St. Mary’s, family fun zone, and the outdoor vendor show.
There are many honorable mention businesses that will be hosting an event, family friendly activities, and possibly prizes: AKA Sports, All Star Patriots Dance Company, Brookie’s Café, Fat Man Nok’s World Famous Hot dogs outside of the Marker’s Market, Kicks Tae Kwon Do, Kurt’s Caps with cruise t-shirts, State Wayne Theater with the Rocky Horror Picture Show cast, and Taste the Smoke.

Be sure to check out the classic cars up and down Michigan Avenue. Photo by John Rhaesa

Flowers in the Mitten and Makers Market will have 35 local crafters to shop from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., indoor crafts, and a free meet and greet with Bluey from 11a.m. – 5 p.m. There will be a permanent jewelry vendor and chocolate drop shop.
The Wayne Fire Department is hosting a fundraiser for Wayne Professional Firefighters Association in Derby’s Alley starting at 11 a.m. There will be pulled pork sandwiches or loaded nachos.
US12 Bar and Grill will have live music, food, and drink specials. Get there early to get your spot on the patio.
“They [US12 Bar and Grill] have been a part of this cruise every single year and they help make it a huge success for that corner and spectators coming in,” said Kubany. “It’s important and amazing the way they engage the community that they do.”
Moonlit Mystic LLC, Wayne Dairy Queen, and Helium Studio are welcoming to all cruisers as a cooling center.
“The cruise is uniting the businesses with the community,” said Kubany. “Three new people wanted to join us this year, so the news is spreading. People are jumping at the opportunity to become a part of this event.”
The DDA will attend the event and be handing out collectable cruise keychains. The DDA is trying to make the keychains a tradition.
“I feel like the cruise just isn’t an event, it’s a tradition. It brings the community together in a way that’s just different than anything else. There’s something for everybody,” said Kubany.
Parking lots in downtown will be hosting local car clubs, while other cars will be driving up and down Michigan Ave. Thousands of cars show up each year for the cruise, and there are lots of regulars and crowd favorites expected to make an appearance.
McDonald’s dining room will be open on the corner of Michigan Ave and Wayne Rd.
You can visit participating businesses for a Cruising Downtown Wayne Cruise map and be sure to follow the DDA on Facebook for daily updates regarding the cruise by searching “Wayne Downtown DDA”
“This cruise has become more of a celebration of our community,” said Kubany. “We are lucky to get to welcome so many car enthusiasts to our city and get to show them how amazing the City of Wayne is. This year promises to be the best year yet.”
The DDA and cruise are still finalizing all the details for the event.