Woodman Institute Museum Car Show

September 24, 2017 — I wasn't expecting much from the 23rd annual Antique and Classic Car Show at the Woodman Institute Museum in Dover, New Hampshire. The last time I attended this show was in 2013, and it was a small show but with some truly exceptional cars. This year, the show was even smaller, and the cars were not particularly exceptional. The most interesting vehicles were three late-model luxury imports and a 1921 Buick. Other than that, there was nothing outstanding, but a collection of antique bicycles drew more interest than the cars.

I came away with twenty-two photos, barely enough to put together a web page, but it's worth a look and you can go through it in a minute or two at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/woodman17/

Weston Antique & Classic Car Show

September 23, 2017 — Just like last Sunday, the day began with heavy cloud cover and cool temperatures at the 23rd annual Weston Antique & Classic Car Show in Weston, Massachusetts. It was slow to clear, but by early afternoon, with less than two hours remaining in the show, it cleared and the temperature rose into the comfortable 70s.

It was my first time at the Weston show, and I met someone who expressed disappointment because it was smaller than previous years. Having no previous years to compare it to, I was satisfied it was well worth the one-hour drive, offering a good variety of old and new vehicles, some of the older ones, like the 1948 Pontiac Silver Streak "woodie" station wagon, beautifully restored to their original glory.

Cars surrounded the picturesque Weston Town Hall and were spread out over Town House Road. On a green below the car show, thousands of colorful flags of the United States and other nations were planted in remembrance of 9/11.

I left Weston and drove to Skip's in Merrimac, Massachusetts for their final car show of the season, but this was a disappointment. Last year's final show attracted over 230 cars, a record, but there was nowhere near the interest this year. There were far fewer cars and spectators, the day was getting hot, and there were few cars I hadn't seen and photographed many times before.

I didn't get enough pictures at Skip's show to put together a web page. You can see my photos of the Weston show at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/weston/

34th Annual Rye Lions Club Car Show

September 17, 2017 — I missed the Rye Lions Club car show, one of my favorites, last year because of rain. This year for the 34th annual show, the day began with dense fog and heavy cloud cover, and forecasters were saying it might hang in most of the day on the coast, which is where the show is held in Rye, New Hampshire. But it wasn't raining, and I've taken decent photos under dark skies before, so I headed for Rye.

The field was a little slow filling up, probably because car owners were waiting to see what the weather was going to do. But there was slow brightening, and cars kept arriving, filling the field almost to capacity by late morning. The sun came out in the afternoon, and in the end it turned out to be a highly successful show. You can view my coverage of the event at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/rye17/

32nd Annual Kiwanis Club Car Show

September 9, 2017 — This year's Kiwanis Club car show at the New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord didn't offer quite the variety of last year's show. Also missing for the second year in a row was Swing Rocket, a group of young musicians who perform '40s swing and jazz. But it was still a pretty good show, featuring lots of Studebakers and some very nice Fords from the '50s. For custom and hot rod fans, there were plenty of vehicles in that category as always at the Kiwanis show.

I came away with almost sixty photos and a video, not a bad day's production. You can view them here:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/kiwanis17/

"Wittenberg"

September 5, 2017 — Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the wall at Wittenberg University, Hamlet mentions attending Wittenberg in Shakespeare's play, Dr. Faustus was a professor at Wittenberg in Christopher Marlowe's play. These are pretty tenuous connections, two of the three fictional, but playwright David Davalos had the gall to throw these three characters together in his play "Wittenberg" with comic and philosophical success.

The Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire, presented Davalos' play, directed by Keith Stevens, with a fine cast consisting of Chris Mixon as Faustus, Tom Frey as Martin Luther and Jeremy Beck as Hamlet. Mixon is no stranger to "Wittenberg," having appeared in the role of Luther in a 2011 performance in Manhattan. Sara Kennedy, as the Eternal Feminine, plays three female roles. Scenic designer Harry Feiner's interior of a medieval university was a masterpiece.

The play is not as cerebral as you might fear based on the subject matter. Most of us know Martin Luther's theses inspired the Protestant reformation, and if you studied Hamlet in high school you'll get the puns and wordplay. Dr. Faustus, in Davalos' play, dispenses medicine, booze and anti-religious philosophy from his office at Wittenberg University. Faustus and the stern, deeply religious Luther agree on almost nothing, and both try to influence their student, Hamlet, with their conflicting philosophies.

The play is basically a comedy, with witty dialog sprinkled with 21st Century English expressions I'm sure were unknown in 16th Century Germany. But it's also thought-provoking in its debate between religious tradition and science. This was my fifth play at Peterborough Players this season, and a fine season it was for one of the Northeast's premiere summer theaters.

Atkinson Truck and Car Show

September 4, 2017 — Two out of three ain't bad, as the saying goes, and that's what we got this Labor Day weekend in New Hampshire. Saturday was warm and sunny for Cruising Downtown, there was a cold rain all day Sunday, then the sun came out again Monday to shine on the Atkinson Lions Club and Atkinson Fire Association Truck and Car Show.

Besides the truck and car show, Atkinson was also observing its 250th anniversary over the Labor Day weekend, having been founded in 1767. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu addressed the gathering and read a proclamation at the Monday show. My photos of the vehicles and a video of the governor reading the proclamation can be seen at this link:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/atkinson17/

Cruising Downtown

September 2, 2017 — "Cruising Downtown," the annual show that starts the Labor Day weekend in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire, hosted 1,100 cars this year, in one of its biggest shows ever. Sponsored by the Rotary Club, all proceeds go to local non-profits.

Manchester's main drag is closed to traffic for about six blocks and turned into a car and truck exhibit space. Vehicles also fill Veterans' Park and several side streets. There are plenty of food vendors and other concessions. Bands play in two different locations.

The smashing success of the show has to be partly attributable to perfect weather, bright sun, temperature in the 70s, low humidity. You can view my photo and video coverage at:

http://www.linwoodstreet.com/cruising2017/