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Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!
By Joanne O'Day

Fairlane. Customline. Thunderbird. Mustang.

Graphic Courtesy of Ford Motor Co.
For car enthusiasts, the names ring like royalty. They are old school automotive showpieces, the thoroughbreds of the classic car world.

It is no wonder, then, that car lovers from across America turn out in droves for Revvin' with Ford, an annual nostalgic celebration of hot rods, rock-n-roll and good old fashioned fun, sponsored by the Ford Motor Company.

  1964 Ford Mustang
Image Courtesy of Ford Motor Co.
Revvin' with Ford is actually the premier charity preview for The Woodward Dream Cruise, the world's largest one-day celebration of car culture. The annual festival, scheduled for August 18th this year, attracts more than 1.5 million visitors and showcases some 30,000 muscle cars, street rods, custom, collector and special interest vehicles. The cruise stretches 16 miles through seven host cities in Michigan: Berkley, Birmingham, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, Pontiac and Royal Oak. Special family-friendly events such as live music performances, classic car parades, sock hops, swap meets, streetside soda shoppes, Elvis impersonators, food vendors, and children's activities span the route from city to city. 

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The night before the larger celebration, Ford hosts a special gala event in Birmingham to benefit the Children's Charities Coalition, a collaboration of four local charities devoted to the needs of children in the Southeastern Michigan area. Last year, the charities raised $400,000 through ticket sales for the Friday night Revvin' event, and an additional $50,000 through a raffle for a restored 1956 Thunderbird donated to the charities by Ford Motor Company. The 2001 event is expected to top a half million dollars for the charities.

1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria  
Image Courtesy of Ford Motor Co.
On Saturday, the party continues with a Celebrity Pancake Breakfast sponsored by Ford. Celebrities will be flipping flapjacks while the kids enjoy the company of clowns and jugglers. The cost is only $2 for children, $5 for adults, and all proceeds go to the Children's Charity Coalition. Afterwards, Dream Cruise lovers can enjoy free access to all Revvin' with Ford activities, including displays of classic Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, live musical performances, celebrity impersonators, carnival games, and a guest appearance by the legendary entertainer Fabian.

1940 Ford Custom Sedan   
Image Courtesy of Ford Motor Co.
Of course, the rest of the Woodward Dream Cruise will be in full swing throughout the other host cities on Saturday as well, and all events are free of charge. For more information about the cruise, including directions, hotel accomodations and a listing of community events in each town, visit dreamcruise.org. To find out more about Revvin' with Ford, click on over to www.revvinwithford.com.

Behind in your reading?
Check out past ATOMIC features.

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Dear Dottie
1999 Articles List
2000 Articles List
2001 Articles List
2002 Articles List
2003 Articles List
2004 Article List
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