WHAT’S HAPPENING – Every August, thousands of Ford enthusiasts visit the Detroit Metro area to participate in many of the various automotive activities leading up to and including the famed Woodward Dream Cruise – and even the day after. This year, several Thunderbird clubs have reached out to Ford Performance Club Connect to see if anything was being done to help them celebrate the T-Bird’s 70th anniversary in 2025 when they get to The Motor City. After not finding any official corporate-backed events, we contacted the Mustang Owner’s Club of SouthEastern Michigan (MOCSEM), who we know each year hosts a “homecoming” event on the Thursday before the Woodward cruise for out-of-town Mustangers and special group reunions. Sure enough, when club president Mike Rey told us this year’s homecoming already features a Mercury Cougar reunion and anniversary gatherings for the 7-Up Fox Body Mustangs and the modern Ford GT, we decided it would even be better if we added a “70 Years of the Thunderbird” gathering as well.
So we’re officially announcing the “Birds, Cats & Ponies Homecoming” hosted by Ford Performance Club Connect and the Mustang Owners Club of SouthEastern Michigan at the back lot of the Gateway Classic Cars showroom, 15011 Commerce Drive South (at Rotunda) in Dearborn on Thursday August 14. Come celebrate with your Thunderbird, Cougar, Ford GT and 7-Up Mustang – plus any sort of Mustang, whether you’re from across town or across the country. We expect about 300-plus cars from more than seven regional Ford clubs for this special show-and-shine, with LIVE music by “Hot Wired,” a great food truck and a Gateway Classic Car Showroom tour, as well as games (including a popular club member Trike Race), plus prizes and an INCREDIBLE Celebrity Autograph Session featuring retired Ford VP Ken Dabrowski and several other past & present Ford execs, engineers, designers and marketers. The event is FREE for participants and spectators alike and runs from 12 noon to 4 p.m. on the 14th (See www.MOCSEM.com for details – and DON’T MISS IT!)
Oh – and Did We Mention You Should Visit Ford’s Famed ‘Mustang Alley’ at the Woodward Dream Cruise on Saturday, August 16th?
Any enthusiast who loves Detroit Iron knows about the annual Woodward Dream Cruise in suburban Detroit -- the biggest one-day classic car event on the planet. With some 1.5 million people and nearly 40,000 collectible cars, the Woodward Dream Cruise is truly a “Bucket List” event that you simply must experience to appreciate. Ford is a major player in America's largest automotive gathering, and the Blue Oval footprint here is along the famed Mustang Alley, where nearly 1,000 Mustangs line both sides of East 9 Mile Road, perpendicular to Woodward at the beginning of the Cruise in Detroit’s northern suburb of Ferndale, Michigan. (You can get Mustang Alley info online at http://www.ferndaledreamcruise.com/calendar-of-events.html) This year, Ford is also hosting a Ford Bronco Alley of sorts along 9 Mile on the west side of Woodward. And yes, there’s a wide variety of Ford-based enthusiast clubs who also have activities as well at reserved spaces up and down Woodward along the entire eight-mile cruise route. Make sure you put the 2025 Woodward Dream Cruise on your “must attend” list from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, August 16 – and we’ll see you there! (Check out the Woodward Dream Cruise http://www.woodwarddreamcruise.com/ website for all the details.)
Woodard Week’s Exclamation Point: Mustang Memories All-Ford Show and Heritage Collection Tour at Ford WHQ on Sunday, August 17
If you've been waiting for that one, extra-special enthusiast event to attend this summer, this is it: The annual "Mustang Memories All-Ford Show" https://www.mocsem.com/calendar#!event/2025/8/17/mustang-memories-2025 being held on Sunday, August 17, 2025. It’s one of the largest Mustang and Ford shows in the country (600-900 vehicles are expected this year with the mega event held behind Ford World Headquarters), and it’s all hosted by MOCSEM, https://www.mocsem.com one of the biggest Mustang clubs in the USA – all in Ford's own backyard. This summer. MOCSEM is celebrating its 50th year, with special displays featuring the Ford Thunderbird, Ford GT, Mercury Cougar and 7-Up Mustangs – plus an EXCLUSIVE Ford Heritage Collection FREE vehicle tour in the adjacent Ford WHQ Executive Garage that you just have to see.
The show runs from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on that Sunday after Woodward, and includes hundreds of Mustangs and Fords across all nameplates and generations, plus judging and an awards presentation, special guests and feature vehicles, product raffles, 50/50 drawings, a huge vendors midway, food trucks, DJ music, a women’s row, and kids activities (including a PowerWheels competition). But hurry -- you MUST REGISTER ONLINE at www.MOCSEM.com BY AUGUST 4th. Admission is $5 for spectators with free parking (kids 12-and-under are free). Visit the club website for info on other MOCSEM Woodward Week activities and events, including Thursday’s “Birds, Cats & Ponies Homecoming” or check out the Mustang Owner’s Podcast YouTube “Mustang Memories Preview 2025” video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF6uGt_0QbM
Prefer to ‘Go’ Rather Than ‘Show’ Your Mustang? Then Join Pony Drive 2025 along the Great Mississippi River Road Aug. 19 – Sept. 5
This summer, the Great American Pony Drive will embark on another exciting trip, adding to its legacy of 21 years of road trips throughout the United States. This time, the Pony Drive will follow the Mississippi River from its start in Minnesota to its end in New Orleans. On the way South, participants will be branching off at various times to explore places that are exciting, historical, and/or are just plain fun places to visit.
The beginning of the trip will include participation at the “Mustangs at the Island Show,” hosted by the Lake Country Mustang Club in Minneapolis. It will be three days of fun, cruises, and show cars and relaxing days at this major resort. Next up will be a stop at “House on the Rock,” a famous Wisconsin attraction with a massive collection of any kinds of memorabilia you could ever think of – and a lot more you may have never seen. It’s sensory overload with this collection! Continuing South, there’s a stop at the American Pickers Store in Iowa, then on to Hannibal, MO, the land of Huck Finn. The Pony Drive then includes stops in St Louis; Metropolis, IL, and its Superman attractions; Memphis, with Graceland and Beale Street; Vicksburg and its Civil War history; Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s Capital. It winds up in New Orleans, staying in the French Quarter with three days to explore the history there. Get all the information and updates online here: www.ponydrive.us
Bronco Off-Road Adventures’ First Overland Event Set for Aug. 28-30 in Georgetown, California
It all begins with the Rubicon Trail Adventure for Bronco Raptors only from August 28-30, 2025. Exclusively for owners of Bronco Raptors, you can experience the thrill of tackling one of the most iconic and challenging off-road trails in the world. You’ll explore the Rubicon Trail deep into the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and encounter dramatic rocky landscapes, pristine mountain lakes, incredible wildlife, and more. You'll camp on private land, including an exclusive overnight stay at Rubicon Springs.
You can see the itinerary and learn more about the Rubicon Trail adventures HERE: https://overlandadventures.ford.com/experience/15a5e183-6922-4b93-99aa-61f578740ca0?utm_source=ford_performance&utm_medium=events_page&utm_campaign=BORA_2025 You can also check out the other five 2025 events for other Broncos by visiting Ford’s Overland Adventures site HERE: https://overlandadventures.ford.com/
Bronco Off-Roadeo Adds ‘Bring Your Own Bronco’ Events to 2025 Program
Off-roaders who love to explore the wilderness in their Ford Bronco, Ford had created a Bronco Off-Road Adventures program last year with exclusive trails, expert guides and epic adventures – and announced it was back again for 2025 with six unique and extraordinary trips from which to choose this year. In 2024, Ford began inviting owners to bring their own Bronco to exclusive locations with other Bronco owners and learn the ropes from Ford’s expert overlanding guides. They visited once-in-a-lifetime spots to make memories and practice overlanding skills like off-road navigation, wilderness self-reliance and environmental stewardship. Well, that too is back this year, as the Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo program is again adding a series of three “Bring Your Own Bronco” events for 2025.
The experience encourages Ford Bronco buyers to put their off-road machine to the ultimate test in a controlled environment that allows owners to “drive the trails in a Bronco you know best – yours!” The events are supervised by experienced trail guides, who are ready to offer insight and a helping hand when necessary. The 2025 Bring Your Own Bronco events are launching in Moab, New Hampshire, and Texas this year, with each venue providing a unique set of challenges in store. There are two courses available for Bronco owners, such as the Next Level Off-Road program, where selection, spotting, and maximizing the use of built-in Bronco tech are all on the menu. The other is an Off-Road Advanced Recovery program, which helps Bronco owners get ready for the worst. This experience offers instruction on how to best utilize recovery tools, techniques, and real-time decision-making skills. Participants will learn how to winch safely, rig properly, and recover from sketchy real-world scenarios.
Each Off-Roadeo experience includes a four-hour off-roading experience, on-trail instruction, and hands-on learning. For all the details and pricing, visit the Bring Your Own Bronco program’s website.
Save the Date for October 24-25 and Join the Fun During Raptor Rally 2.0 at Lake Havasu, Arizona
Mark your calendars and save the date for the second-annual Raptor Rally, a must-attend event exclusively for F-150 Raptor, Bronco Raptor, and Ranger Raptor owners on Friday, October 24 through Saturday, October 25 at Lake Havasu, Arizona. Whether you’re a seasoned off-road pro or just starting your adventure, we hope to see you at Raptor Rally 2.0. Sign-up to receive special updates HERE: raptorrallyrsvp.splashthat.com/fastnews Registration is open now at FordRaptorRally.com.
Want to Be Noticed on Ford Performance.com? Get You and Your Car(s) in Our ‘Ford Fan Spotlight’
For more than a decade now, one of the most popular features on FordPerformance.com Articles and in our Fast News e-newsletter continues to be "Ford Fan Spotlight," where readers can send in their own reasons why they're fans of Ford Motor Company. You know who they are: Ford "superfans;" grassroots Ford racers; unique Ford vehicle owners; loyal Ford enthusiasts; notable Ford club people; special Ford families; and/or any avid supporter of Ford, Ford vehicles, Ford motorsports or Ford Performance who deserves a little bit of special recognition.
All you need to do to get you, your car or candidate considered is to send in a brief description (200-500 words or less) and a few photos (in .jpeg format, preferably 1 mb) of a person (full name and hometown, please) and vehicle that you think Ford Performance should feature (and why) in the "Ford Fan Spotlight" for an upcoming installment of Fast News and posting on FordPerformance.com. Then email it to: ClubHub@Ford.com. (Your submission grants us your permission for us to use your copy and photos on our website and other Ford media outlets, edited as necessary.) We'll choose one submission to be featured online every three weeks. We hope to see YOU and your collectible Ford in our Fan Spotlight soon!
