FARMINGTON, CT — Hundreds of motorcycles and cars will travel through the Farmington Valley on Saturday as part of the 2026 Dream Ride Experience, with police warning motorists in Farmington, Avon, Canton, and Simsbury to expect traffic delays along the routes.
The annual Dream Ride Experience runs Friday, Aug. 21, through Sunday, Aug. 23, at the Farmington Polo Club, 162 Town Farm Road.
The signature fundraiser for the Cheshire-based Hometown Foundation supports programs serving people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and other causes.
The foundation supports programs involving animal welfare, emergency response personnel, people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, people facing major illnesses or other needs, and members of the military.
Organizers expect more than 500 Dream Riders — people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — to attend this year's event from across the United States and other countries.
Saturday will feature two large police-escorted processions through the Farmington Valley: a motorcycle ride and the Dream Cruise involving automobiles.
The motorcycle event is expected to include nearly 500 motorcycles traveling about 40 miles through the region.
The Avon Police Department said the motorcycles are expected to leave the Farmington Polo Grounds at approximately 11:15 a.m., traveling north on Town Farm Road and Tillotson Road before turning onto Old Farms Road.
The procession will continue through the Thompson Road intersection and the Route 44 rotary before traveling on Simsbury Road, Routes 10 and 202, into Simsbury.
Avon police said motorists could experience delays of approximately 30 minutes along the route.
Simsbury police said the motorcycles are expected to enter the town on Hopmeadow Street before turning onto Stratton Brook Road and Farms Village Road, or Route 309, and continuing west into Canton.
A second procession later Saturday is expected to include more than 200 vehicles carrying Special Olympics athletes, according to Avon police.
The Dream Cruise is scheduled to depart the Farmington Polo Grounds at approximately 4:15 p.m.
In Avon, the convoy will travel north on Town Farm Road and Tillotson Road before turning onto Old Farms Road and Thompson Road. It will then turn right onto West Avon Road, Route 167, and continue into Simsbury.
Simsbury police said the convoy will travel north on Bushy Hill Road, Route 167, east on Latimer Lane, north on Hopmeadow Street, Route 10, east on Hartford Road, Route 185, and south on Nod Road.
The vehicles will return to Avon using Nod Road before continuing south on Waterville Road, Route 10, and turning onto Old Farms Road and Tillotson Road.
Avon police warned of intermittent delays lasting approximately 60 to 90 minutes, with the most significant effects expected near West Main Street, Route 44, and the Old Farms Road and Tillotson Road intersection.
Simsbury police said motorists there should expect delays of 20 to 30 minutes along the route, with the greatest impact expected between 4:15 and 5:30 p.m.
Police in both towns encouraged motorists to plan ahead, allow additional travel time, and consider alternate routes.
The Hometown Foundation is also seeking drivers to participate in Saturday's Dream Cruise.
Organizers are looking for owners of supercars, classic and muscle cars, tuner cars, Jeeps, trucks and emergency response vehicles.
Participating drivers are paired with Dream Riders for the police-escorted cruise through the Farmington Valley.
Driver registration begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Gate B of the Farmington Polo Club, and participating vehicles are expected to be on the field by 2 p.m.
The weekend also includes food trucks, live music, a pet adoption expo, Police K-9 Challenge and demonstrations, a Firefighter Chili Cook-Off, raffles, vendors, and a Family Fun Zone.
The Dream Show will feature exotic vehicles from manufacturers including Ferrari, McLaren, Jaguar, Koenigsegg, Pagani, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Apollo and De Tomaso. Organizers also announced what they described as the East Coast debut of the Lamborghini Revuelto SV.
The Hometown Foundation said the Dream Ride Experience has raised more than $20 million since its inception.
Avon police said the 2025 event raised a record $7.65 million.
Key links for the event:
For more information: dreamride.org
Dream Cruise: dreamride.org/dream-ride-weekend/dream-cruise
Schedule of events: dreamride.org/dream-ride-weekend/schedule-of-events
Purchase Tickets: reg.dreamride.org
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