National Antique Auto Tour Coming to Pittsfield
The Connecticut Valley Region Car Club, a local unit of the national Antique Automobile Club of America, is hosting the 2008 Eastern Divisional Auto Tour in Pittsfield, MA, August 4-7, 2008. This event is being underwritten by Berkshire Bank through its Berkshire Bank Foundation.This is one of only 6 such tours taking place across the United States this year. There will be 110 cars and over 220 people coming from across the country to tour the beautiful Berkshires. The Tour will be based at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Pittsfield. A Duryea replica, the first car made in the U.S. in Springfield, MA, will be on display in the lobby of the hotel.
The purpose of the event is to allow participants to tour Berkshire County and visit its many historic sites, museums and other attractions. Participants will take daily tours in their antique cars and people will be able to catch a glimpse of these vehicles at some of their stopping points or along the winding and hilly Mohawk Trail. They will all bear a banner identifying them as part of the Tour.
The cars will visit Arrowhead and The Mount on Monday August 4th.
On Tuesday, August 5th, the cars will be in Stockbridge and Great Barrington and displayed on the lawn of Tanglewood for “Tanglewood on Parade” with the Boston Pops. “Tanglewood on Parade” will end with a fireworks display as it does every year.
On Wednesday morning, August 6th, the cars will be at Hancock’s Shaker Village. Founded in 1783 this village functioned as a Shaker community through the 1960’s. Participants will tour the Village while the vehicles are being judged on the lawn. The cars may be viewed by the public during this period. In the afternoon, the tour will continue to the Norman Rockwell Museum and David Chester French’s Chesterwood studio.
On Wednesday evening, from 5pm to 8pm, the Tour will host “Wednesday on Wheels” a large car show in downtown Pittsfield. The west side of North Street will be closed for this free event. The touring cars will be displayed on North Street along with a large number of local car club vehicles whose members will be assisting with the event. There will be a “100th” birthday party for a 1908 Hatfield, a high-wheeler, one of the only known “original” cars in existence today. Those attending will be able to see a Rolls-Royce, a Bentley, a Cole, some DeSotos, Studebakers, several Packards and Jaguars to name a few. These are not your everyday cars and will give people a unique opportunity to take a look in the past.
The public is invited to this free event. Food and ice cream will be available in Persip Park at the corner of North Street and Columbus Avenue and music will be provided by the musical group, Memory Lane.
On Thursday, the last day of the tour, participants will take a 100 mile drive down the Mohawk Trail to the Natural Bridge and the Hoosac Tunnel navigating the famous “Hairpin Turn” just before arriving in Shelburne Falls. In Shelburne Falls, people will walk the Bridge of Flowers, view the Glacier Potholes, and experience glass blowing before making the trek back to the hotel past the magnificent Mt. Greylock.
Peter J. Lafayette, Berkshire Bank Foundation’s Executive Director said, “It is exciting to know that our efforts have such a positive impact on thousands of individuals and families each year. By underwriting an event such as this Tour, we can give a multitude of residents and visitors the opportunity to view these beautiful antique vehicles in distinctly unique surroundings.”
The Berkshire Bank Foundation is a non-profit foundation established in 2000 with a donation by Berkshire Bank. Its mission is to strengthen the communities that Berkshire Bank does business in and improve the quality of life for those who live there. Since its inception, the Foundation has been a leader in philanthropy and has awarded more than $6,500,000 to non-profit organizations in Berkshire County. In addition, there are two other Bank-affiliated foundations that provide grants in the Bank’s other market areas. Since 1998, the foundations have awarded a combined total of nearly $12 million to eligible non-profits and have made a lasting impact on local communities.
