Have been always told this was a don’t miss event, Back-to-the-Bricks in Flint, Michigan. This event is held during the Woodward Dream Cruise which is south of Flint between Detroit/Pontiac. The event is a week-long with activities in case you need mor motorhead time while at Woodward Ave. Back to the Bricks first arrived in 2005 when Al Hatch and fellow Motorheads created the Back to the Bricks to complement and work with the Woodward Dream Cruise. One of the goals of the event besides celebration of Motorheads was to celebrate the automotive industry’s role in Flint Michigan, yes, many kool rides were built here. FYI, General Motors is a sponsor of this event while Ford is a sponsor of Dream Cruise, so Michigan is well represented. This started out as a one-day event and has grown to a week of celebration of the automobile and kool cruising. This author is impressed with the Mission Statements of Back to the Bricks, “To produce family-friendly automotive events that reflect Flint Michigan’s automotive heritage with a positive economic impact” and “To educate the community about Flint, Michigan’s automotive heritage with the construction of early automotive pioneer statues and the display and preservation of supporting artifacts. Kudos to Flint for making this celebration happen.
Starting with a Monday Kickoff at Birch Run Speedway Kick Off Car show and Concert. For those Drive-In car movies folks, Tuesday is the Nite for you. The Historic US23 Drive in awaits you for the annual Bricks Flicks also don’t forget the film starts at dusk. Yes, another car show in Grand Blanc Wednesday, “Roll On In”. Continuing Wednesday & Thursday the cruise gets into high gear from Red Bricks of Flint to Grand Blanc during the evening cruise along Saginaw Street lined with thousands of spectators and kool rides. Friday brings downtown Flint the Cruise N’ Concert. The last venue in this weeklong celebration is the “The Main Event Car Show”, downtown Flint where thousands of classic cars and late model cars/trucks gather to pay tribute to this event. I really enjoyed some of the kool features: Drag City, fast and loud Cars & Monster Trucks; United Auto Workers displaying Flint Built Vehicles in Flint; of course, the Built not Bought Showcase; Corvettes of course as well as Buicks on the Bricks and of course Vintage Campers.
This event offered something for everyone and was well attended and if you missed it will be back next year of course. All in all, it was great to do this in concert with the Dream Cruise and now it’s crossed off on my bucket list, but if it’s on yours this is your best bet! If you are going to do this, make it a week to 10-day excursion and don’t forget its humid, bring water, wear light color clothes and shade is recommended. Allow the week up to the event to get climatized and lay of the land, pick your spot, stake it early, dress for humidity and Motorhead Out as we did!
