Pontiac, MI – Here’s what to know for Dodge’s Roadkill Nights event happening in Pontiac this coming weekend:
Who: Dodge Car Brand and MotorTrend Magazine
What: Roadkill Nights, “the ultimate celebration of horsepower, speed, and muscle car culture at Dodge Roadkill Nights Powered by MotorTrend. This one-of-a-kind event delivers nonstop action for automotive enthusiasts of all ages.” – Dodge. Their iconic Dodge brand will also be publicly unveiling new vehicle models for the first time at the event.
When: Saturday, August 8th, 2026 from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
Where: This is the 11th year that the City of Pontiac has been the host city for this high-profile event. Some years Dodge and MotorTrend Magazine have done the event at the then-Pontiac Silverdome, in Downtown Pontiac, and at M1 Concourse. This year it is on Woodward Avenue and inside M1 Concourse, with Dodge renting that venue.
Road Closures on Woodward Avenue:
Southbound Woodward Avenue between Rapid and Nebraska will be closed starting Thursday evening, August 6th at 9:00 pm. Northbound Woodward Avenue will be closed at that same time, but from South Boulevard to Rapid. There will be controlled access to the impacted businesses on Woodward that are between Rapid and the train tracks, close to Prospect. Northbound Woodward traffic will be able to reach South Boulevard and turn right, but not proceed north or make the left-hand turnaround. During that time, eastbound and westbound traffic on South Boulevard will not be able to get through the intersection. Earlmoor at Woodward will be barricaded, to prevent traffic routing into the neighborhood. Nebraska at Woodward will be open. Those Woodward closures will be fully opened back up by 9:00 am on Sunday, August 9th at the latest.
About Those Electronic Signs: In recent days, you might’ve noticed the electronic displays along Woodward Avenue stating that Woodward will be closed starting at Square Lake Road (for northbound traffic) or at Huron Street (for southbound traffic). Woodward is a state road with a high certification. That detour information posted by the Michigan Department of Transportation is for heavy trucks and for other external traffic to follow those state route alternatives. Our Pontiac traffic will continue to be able to travel beyond those particular points.
Road Closures on South Boulevard: Starting Saturday morning, August 7th at 5:00 pm, South Boulevard between Franklin Road and Woodward Avenue will be closed. There will be barricades blocking event traffic from cutting through the neighborhood streets that feed onto South Boulevard, meaning: Howland, Bloomfield, Highland, and Harvey. The left-turn lane from southbound Franklin Road at South Boulevard will be closed to better communicate with drivers than in previous years, and that also starts early Saturday morning. The latest that South Boulevard closure will reopen is 9:00 am Sunday morning, although it’ll likely be ready much earlier.
Emergency Vehicles: The event setup, or the event itself, will be stopped whenever an emergency vehicle needs to cross through the impacted road closure area. Ambulances will be given priority passage, as was done in previous years. Trinity Health Oakland Hospital remains open during the duration of the event and event organizers are coordinating with the hospital to ensure everything works smoothly.
Impacted Businesses: Dodge and MotorTrend Magazine have tried to make the event beneficial to businesses in the impacted area of the event. As one example, they rent out Avon Donuts for the Friday and Saturday that their shop won’t be accessible. As another example, they’re working to encourage diners at Ghost Modern Mexican and McDonald’s at Woodward and South Boulevard to make it their busiest days of the year.
Event Admission: General admission for Roadkill Nights is $25 for those ages 13 and up. There is a discounted rate for Pontiac residents, at $20. Children 12 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased online via the TicketSpice website.
Event Parking: There is no on-site parking at the Roadkill event. Free parking and shuttle service are available at United Wholesale Mortgage, or UWM, located at 650 South Boulevard East in Pontiac. That shuttle and parking spot is on the south side of South Boulevard at the UWM Campus.
Post-Event Cleanup: The event organizers are required to clean the street, sweep the street, protect and clear the drains, repair any impacted roadways and more as a condition of them being able to use the state road.
Park Improvements: Dodge and MotorTrend have committed to the city’s request to invest in the City of Pontiac Motor and Montana neighborhood park in a nearby neighborhood, as part of their positive community impact.