Saratoga Auto Museum: Car show outside; Porsche exhibit inside
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Few things say spring more than a walk in the park during May.
This weekend spring is really breaking out in Saratoga Spa State Park as the Sara- toga Automobile Museum holds its annual spring auto show this Saturday.
A lovely outdoor walk will be made exciting by the addition of an anticipated 250300 vintage cars by the reflecting pool and surrounding fields of the park. The site is right next to the museum, which is located at 110 Avenue of the Pines.
The annual event was cancelled last year, but even with social distancing restrictions, sizable crowds are expected for the show this Saturday between 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. To make the event even more enjoyable, there will be music and food vendors at the site adding to the fair-like atmosphere of the day.
In what seems a counterintuitive policy, those showing their cars must pay a fee of $15; $20 for those who register day of show. But, the public gets to roam, explore and talk to the owners of the vehicles without charge.
However, as Megan Hennessey, the Director of Special Events at the Automobile Museum points out, the policy is not considered a penalty by car owners. This early-in-the-season event is one of the strongest draws of the many car shows that flourish in the area throughout the summer.
“Participants really enjoy talking to fellow car enthusiasts. People are proud of their cars and what they’ve done to restore them. What good is having a treasure of a vehicle and not being able to share it?”, she asks redundantly.
Actually, there is compensation. Anyone registering a car for the show gets a free pass to the Auto Museum. Not only does this give you access to the several permanent exhibits at the museum, the newly opened “Rare Air” exhibit is very special. It features 16 iconic air-cooled Porsche models from the collection of famed architect Steven Harris.
The exhibit is presented by Porsche & Porsche Clifton Park.
Arguably, the name Porsche is the most important name in the specialized car field. It’s synonymous with luxury and adventure. However, it is also one of the finest designed and functional vehicles built throughout the world.
A fun fact is that the company’s founder Professor Ferdinand Porsche was also the designer of the classic Volkswagen Beetle. You cannot find two disparate creations – the simple, inexpensive vehicle built as “The People’s Car” and a classic automobile that can sell for as high as $290,000.
If walking around hundreds of vintage automobiles is a nostalgic experience of decades past, being near 16 Porsche sports cars is an escape to fantasy adventures. Established in 1948, the independent car maker is famous for its success with high performance racing vehicles.
Indeed, according to Communication Director Dustin Lanterman, one of the things about the Porsches on display is that they are all working vehicles. He explains, “They have all been driven on a regular basis. It is the philosophy of Mr. Harris that a wellloved automobile should be driven regularly. Every car on display is well-loved and has an exciting history.”
And the term driven does not refer to a jaunt down the Northway. Harris, who is also a board member of the Saratoga Auto Museum, is an adventurer who frequently participates in endurance road races. Included in the
“Rare Air” exhibit is the 1964 Porsche 356 Rally Car, in which Harris competed in the 2010 Peking to Paris road race.
Considered the most grueling of all road races, the 36-day, 8,500-mile adventure traverses the unpaved roads of Mongolia and other treacherous terrains. Each vehicle entered must have been produced before 1976.
Harris celebrated his 60th birthday by crossing deserts, fording rivers and going across mountains and sleeping on the ground during the journey. Lanterman says the exhibit also includes photos of Harris and the vehicle during the race. There are other images that enhance the experience. Also, on display are art-like images of the cars taken by famed automobile photographer James Lipton.
Lanterman says one of the surprises for a visitor will be the visual beauty of the exhibit. The vehicles are not just the drab black or grey usually associated with luxury cars. Instead, there are an array of colors so bright and varied that the museum staff refers to them as Skittles.
Between the luscious colors, the sensual photo images of the cars and the fantasy of the Porsche mystique - this exhibit might be considered Auto-Porn.
Unlike the car show, which takes place only on Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (with a rain date on Sunday) “Rare Air” is not a one-off display.
It is at the museum until autumn. While the openair car show is free, there is a fee for entrance to the museum. For details call (518) 587-1935 or go to saratogaautomuseum.org