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Skaneateles Welcomes Antique and Classic Boat Show July 26-28 Families and Boats From First Show Return, 25 Years

Jul 15th, 2019

Excitement is building for the Antique and Classic Boat Show, celebrating its 25th year in Skaneateles and its 41st season overall.   

The show, one of the most popular of its kind in the Northeast, will be held July 26-28 in Clift Park. Hours are 3 p.m. to dusk Friday, 9 a.m. to dusk Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.

The event is organized by the Finger Lakes Chapter (FLC) of the Antique and Classic Boat Society and the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation (also known as the Skaneateles Foundation).

Before moving its show to Skaneateles in 1995, FLC hosted shows in Ithaca, Seneca Falls, Oswego, Brewerton and on Owasco Lake. “Skaneateles proved to be the ideal location for us,” said FLC president Rick Nelson.

The show, conceived as a family event, has seen active participation by members of three generations of three families: the Millers of Skaneateles, the Sherwoods of the Rochester area and the Marsdens of Auburn, N.Y., and Waldwick, N.J.

Katelyn Marsden, granddaughter of one of the chapter’s charter members, will exhibit K’s Happy Days, a 1958 pink Century Roan, at this year’s show. Last year, the boat won Best Century and Hagerty Youth Judging awards.

Two boats from the 1995 show will be back: Wood Too, a 22-foot reproduction of the Gar Wood Speedsters of the mid-thirties first owned by Arnie Rubenstein of Fayetteville and Skaneateles, now owned by his son Phillip, and Elaine K., a 20-foot Morehouse utility owned by Dick and Cynthia Sherwood of Webster, N.Y. Elaine K. is one of four Morehouses that will be featured.

Among the 70 or so other boats on display, both on water and land, will be mahogany runabouts manufactured in the early 1900s by Chris-Craft, Hacker and Gar Wood, launches, sailboats, canoes, rowing craft and race boats, many restored to their original condition. The Antique and Classic Boat Society embraces all styles of classic boats—wood, fiberglass and metal. Visitors can learn about the boats by reading the accompanying placards or talking with owners.

 

Highlights of the weekend include:

  • A boat parade and fly-by, led by the Stephanie, the Sherwood Inn’s 1946 Chris-Craft, starting at 3:15 p.m. Saturday.
  • Performances by the Skaneateles Community Band, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday; the Diana Jacobs Band, noon to 3 p.m. Saturday; and the Soda Ash Six, noon to 3 p.m. Sunday.
  • A performance by the Bubble Man, 11 a.m. Saturday.
  • A display of antique model boats by the Syracuse Model Boat Club, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
  • A youth judging competition, sponsored by Hagerty Classic Marine Insurance to “spark kids’ passion for wooden boats,” 10:30 a.m. Saturday. 
  • Opportunities for children to paint toy wooden boats, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. 
  • Knot-tying demonstrations, 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
  • Historical tours of the village presented by the Skaneateles Historical Society, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
  • A photo-shoot and spectator cruise aboard the Judge Ben Wiles, 10 a.m. Sunday. The Judge will leave from the Mid-Lakes Navigation dock in Clift Park and make a slow tour of the north end of Skaneateles Lake, while exhibiting boats make random passes and provide opportunities for action shots. Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for children under 13 accompanied by an adult. For reservations, go to midlakesnav.com or call 315-685-8500. Walk-ons are welcome.
  • Raffle drawings, 2 p.m. Sunday. First prize is an experience package from Mirbeau Inn & Spa. Additional prizes are an overnight stay at the Holiday Inn Auburn, a $100 gift certificate from Mid-Lakes Navigation, a Downtown Skaneateles basket, a toy wooden boat filled with lottery tickets, a framed 2019 boat show print, a Skaneateles Antique and Classic Boat Show sweatshirt, a $50 gift certificate from Gilda’s, a prize from Skaneateles Artisans and a toy wooden boat filled with candy. Tickets are $5 each, three for $10, 10 for $20 and are on sale at the Chamber and the show.

Judging of the boats, in 35 categories, takes place Saturday morning. Throughout the weekend, visitors to the show will cast their votes for the highly coveted People's Choice Award, sponsored by Doug’s Fish Fry, which will be presented at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

This year’s poster, based on a photo taken at last year’s show, was developed by Oswego illustrator David Owens, who has designed the show’s posters since 2017. Posters are $10 and are on sale at the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce, 22 Jordan St., and at the show.

Additionally, poster designs by graphic design students at Skaneateles High School will be on display.

In anticipation of the show, a 1936 Thompson row boat is on display at M&T Bank in downtown Skaneateles. The boat, owned by the Millers of Skaneateles, was purchased new, and has remained in the family and been used only on Skaneateles Lake.

M&T Bank is the presenting sponsor. Contributing sponsors are the Sherwood Inn, Beak & Skiff/1911, Brinson Marine, Doug’s Fish Fry, Mirbeau Inn & Spa, White Birch Vineyards Tasting Room, Ace Hardware, Blue Water Grill, Chase Design, Holiday Inn Auburn, Inns of Aurora, Jacobs Press, The Sailboat Shop, the Skaneateles Festival, The Bond 1835, White & White Antiques, cate&sally, Cayuga Tree Service, Delmonico Insurance Agency, Emma James Boutique, 1st National Gifts, Gilda’s, Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, Janice M. Miller, Architect, Johnny Angel’s Heavenly Burgers, The Medicine Shoppe Camillus, Mid-Lakes Navigation, Skaneateles Artisans, Skaneateles Inn on 20, Tops Friendly Markets, Valentine’s Pizza & Deli and Wirth’s Automotive Services. Media sponsors are Group M Communications and WRVO Public Media.

 

The show is handicapped-accessible.

 

For more information, go to http://www.skaneateles.com or call the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce at 315-685-0552. 

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