NORWICH – “There’s no such thing as an ugly car,” Sewain Conklin said with a laugh. “Not if you’re a car lover.”
Even if that’s the case, car lovers won’t have to lower their standards to enjoy the 1,200 beauties expected to roll into Norwich this weekend for the 42nd Annual Antique Auto Show and Flea Market at the Chenango County Fairgrounds, sponsored by the Rolling Antiquers Old Car Club.
Rain or shine, the show is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., both Saturday and Sunday. Judging starts at 11 a.m. each day. General admission is $5 per person, kids 12 and under are free. Shuttle buses will be running from parking lots in downtown Norwich throughout the weekend, and a host of new food vendors, offering a variety of barbecue style and American fare, have also been added to this year’s line-up, organizers say.
Featuring a muscle car and street rod show Saturday and a classic car show Sunday, the two-day event, offering 193 awards judged over wide range of classes, has grown into one of the biggest of its kind in New York state, Conklin said.
“The Saturday show is growing in popularity by leaps and bounds,” said Conklin, who expects between 500 and 550 muscle cars in the opening day. Conklin acknowledges that despite the interests of the aging baby-boom populations creating a shift, the over 600 “classics and antiques still lead the way Sunday.”
Aside from the two main shows, a large collection of 20th century military vehicles will be on display in the fairground’s south field and over 440 antique car parts and collectibles dealers will be set up along the midway. There will also be an exhibition featuring antique automobile engines, known as “one-lungers.”
“This is a good market for car parts, collectibles and antiques,” said Antiquers’ President Ed Soyke.
Not to be outdone, motorcycles-lovers will have a home at the show, too.
According to site reservations and vendor bookings, this year’s event is on pace to beat attendance figures from 2006, meaning as many as 10,000 people could pour into the fairgrounds over the weekend.
Both Conklin and Soyke believe it’s the number and quality of cars the show solicits that attracts so many people each year.
“We go to a lot of other shows and talk to people,” said Soyke. “They can’t believe how many cars we get for a small local show.”
Enthusiasts from throughout the Northeast attend as well, he said, with others coming from as far away as California, Arizona, Colorado and Florida.
“We get e-mails all the time from all over that say ‘keep this show alive, it’s the best one around,’” said Soyke.