SAAC: Branford Fest Classic Car Cruise, 6/20/2010

SAAC: The Branford Festival Classic Car Cruise, Sunday, June 20, 2010, Branford, CT
(this page new as of 2/22/2011)

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Checking Out The 2010 Branford Festival Classic Car Cruise--Awesome Old Car Display "Front and Center" On The Branford Green…

I had originally included a few brief observations about last year’s Branford Fest Cruise, which took place on Sunday, June 20th, 2010, way back in the 6/28 & 7/1/2010 updates on the SAAC Main Page. This time around I would like to include more thoughts and refelctions about the overall Branford Festival event, plus a good selection of images of the impressive scene that day in downtown Branford. I hope you enjoy the pictures from the event, and that they help to convey a bit of that day’s excitement.

Most of my and my family’s weekend was taken up with the Branford Festival (http://www.branfordfestival.com/) which is a weekend-long event in the center of town--focused on the Town Green.

Mid-day on Saturday we drove downtown to do some Festival browsing during the day, where we enjoyed walking around seeing all the booths set up by various local business and civic organizations, on the main part ofthe Branford Green. We usually enjoy running into several people we know there, such as our long-time friends and fellow old car enthusiasts Norb Church (who I believe is active inthe Branford Lions Club, ref: http://e-clubhouse.org/sites/branfordctlions/), Jerry Walthall (who represents hiscompany “Heritage Taxi Service” of New Haven, ref: http://www.besttaxi.net/), Al Vigorito (who is usually found representing Guilford Saab – ref: http://www.gmsaab.com/MiscPage - at the new car display they typically set up for the Festival), and Kathy Hand (who is usually found representing VNA Community Healthcare of Guilford, ref: http://www.thevna.com/).

We also make sure to pre-purchase our tickets for the Branford Historical Society’s (http://www.branfordhistory.org/) “Strawberry Festival,” which is their awesome fresh strawberry shortcake sale that happens on Saturday of Branford Festival Weekend, and always enjoy running into Mrs. Webmaster's sister Pat, andher husband Peter, who both are Historical Society mainstays.

Branford Fest Classic Car Cruise 6/20/2010, Branford CT In the evening of Festival Saturday, our family pitched in to help run the Branford Exchange Club’s fried dough booth—that was quite an experience. The fried dough is usually a tremendous crowd favorite, judgingby the long lines of people typically found waiting to purchase it. The booth is set upright by the front of the Trinity Church, so it’s a very active “crossroads” type of location on the Branford Green, with lots of natural spectator traffic flow. Mrs. Webmaster's dad is a long-time Exchange Club member, and appreciates the extra manpower during their sales at the Branford Festival, particularly on Saturday night, which is usually a tremendously busy time. This year I helped out with the actual cooking of the fried dough, which is a hot, and potentially dangerous task (especially if you splash any of that blazing hot cooking oil on yourself—yow!). Several other members of the extended family also pitch in at the Exchange Club fried dough sale. The funds raised by the Exchange Club go toward very good causes in town too, including, as I understand it, support for various athletic and academic programs at the High School.

Anyway, on Sunday of Branford Festival Weekend, Mrs. Webmaster had planned to drive her ’54 VW Convertible up to the big VW event in Litchfield (caravanning with a couple of other old-VW friends), and I headed over to the Branford Green toc heck out the Branford Festival Classic Car Cruise, also hand out Time Machines flyers there, and snap a few pictures (which you are checking out on THIS feature page). No, I did not drive an old car, as I had other stuff to do later in the day, and needed to be able to get into and out of the center of town with minimum hassle.

Wow, what a scene!

The throngs of cars and people (especially due to the Branford Road Race that was finishing up on Main Street, directly adjacent to where most of the old cars were assembled) were beyond impressive! The exposure that the Road Race gives to the antique car gathering, I think, helps to put the old cars “front and center” so to speak—making them more visible and accessible to the “normal person” who may not necessarily be an old car fan, but who may be attracted to the many beautiful and colorful examples of automotive history that are on display—in the very prominent and accessible spot right there in front of Branford Town Hall.

Branford Fest Classic Car Cruise 6/20/2010, Branford CT My hat is off toBranford Festival Classic Car Cruise organizer Gary Dinello (of Custom Boating Fabrications fame), and the entire Branford Festival organization, for continuing to run this event for many years now—I know it is no small job organizing something like this! And I haven’t even mentioned the Classic Car Cruise Procession, which starts out earlier in the morning, from the Cherry Hill Commuter Parking Lot near Wal-Mart, and proceeds up to the Town Green—how cool is that?! More details are presented at The Official Branford Festival Classic Car Cruise info page: http://www.branfordfestival.com/bfccc.htm.

As the day progresses, the excitement of the Road Race conclusion gives way to a more relaxed vibe on the Town Green, as various musical performers take the raised stage in front of Town Hall that overlooks the classic car display. As old car folks, we often enjoy oldies music played by DJs at the various local car shows and cruise nights we attend—but being able to take in talented live musical performers at a car gathering is yet another aspect of the Branford Festival Classic Car Cruise that makes it unique and fun!

All too soon I had to be on my way, but I had a fantastic time during my visit, and I am definitely looking forwardto getting back to the Branford Festival, and the Branford Festival Classic Car Cruise, this coming Father’s Day Weekend! Perhaps even with an old car to participate with this time! Thanks again to Gary Dinello for all his great organizing work with the Classic Car Cruise, and the entire Branford Festival staff for all they do to make this fantastic overall weekend possible!

More Festival info: http://www.branfordfestival.com/.

More Branford Festival Classic Car Cruise 2010 scenes...

IMAGE BELOW: In this view I'm standing near the intersection of Main Street and Town Hall Drive, sighting up approximately toward Town Hall (a bit of the edge of Town Hall Drive is visible at the right side of this view. Some of the cars in this view are slightly shaded by large trees in this area.