61st Annual Antique and Classic Car Meet

August 11, 2018 — After 60 years in Stowe, Vermont, the Vermont Antique Automobile Enthusiasts (VAE) were forced to leave Nichols Field in Stowe after a developer purchased the property. This year's show was held for the first time at Farr's Field in Waterbury, Vermont, ten miles south of Stowe. The logistics of organizing a car show, and this is one of the largest in the East, are enormous, especially for a new, untested location. In spite of this, the three-day show was highly successful, with only a few unforeseen problems.

The field in Waterbury is larger and flatter than the one in Stowe, but similar in its setting, surrounded by Vermont's Green Mountains. VAE has managed to retain the same look and feel as the old location, and it all seemed familiar to long-time attendees of the show. There's more space for show cars, car corral and flea markets. Spectator parking is plentiful, but complicated. Parking areas are divided up into several sections, somewhat circular rather in straight rows as they were in Stowe. Many, including myself, had trouble finding their cars when it came time to leave. Leaving on Saturday turned into a huge bottleneck, taking nearly a half hour from parking space to the exit onto Route 2. That's one thing organizers should concentrate on improving for next year.

On Saturday, as always, show cars leave the field at 3:30 p.m. and drive into town for a car parade. In Waterbury, a larger town than Stowe, busier with more traffic, cars paraded by the 1875 railroad station, one at a time. Waterbury's Main Street is busy Route 20, too vital to be closed to traffic as Stowe's was. In Stowe, after the parade, dozens of antique cars parked on Main Street on both sides, backed into the curb at an angle, giving the town the look of an earlier era. Townspeople showed more interest in Stowe, coming out in droves to line the streets and roam among the cars. That may improve as Waterbury becomes more aware of the show in the future.

Street dancing Saturday night has long been a feature of the VAE show. A disc jockey played '50s rock and roll and dancing townspeople of all ages filled the street in Stowe until after sunset. When the music was struck up in Waterbury, no one came out to dance during the half hour before I left. What happened after that I have no way of knowing.

Summing up, the car show, corral and flea markets are already well organized and felt right at home. The in-town activities Saturday night were a bit disappointing. Waterbury lacks the small-town feel and intimacy of Stowe.

Happily, photography was no problem on the bright, sunny day. You can see the results at this link:

https://www.linwoodstreet.com/vermont18/