Well that was fun! After 3 blistering days of fun, frolic and fiberglass, the 2016 Corvettes at Carlisle show wound down to a close. For all intents and purposes, the day was mostly a “wrap up and pack up day,” although NCRS announced winners and an autocross event kept things interesting.
What was once a sea of ‘Vettes was now a sparsely covered grassy field with a smattering of plastic beauty here and there.
We loved the show and documented it well here and on Corvette Online Facebook, but the following are some musings now that the party’s over from a noob who flew 3000 miles to attend the show. If you have never been to this part of the country, here’s some tips and tricks:
- Carlisle, PA is a neat little town – Be sure and check out the downtown area. Imagine Paul Revere galluping on horseback over cobblestone yelling “The British are coming,” and you’ll get the idea. No, Revere didn’t live in Carlisle but it has the same has the same old timey, colonial feel in it’s architecture, scale and pace.
- The show would be a great place to buy a Corvette – There were many really nice cars for sale at the show. Not only that, there are inspectors and license and title folks there as well, so you can know what you’re buying and consummate the deal on the spot. You’ll have to arrange shipping back home, but what a great backstory you bought your ‘Vette at Carlisle.
- Friday and Saturday are the days to go – The 2016 show was unique that it started earlier that usual on a Thursday. The show really kicked into high gear on Friday with Saturday in full bloom. Having said all that, I’m glad I didn’t miss the first or last day because I really got the “lay of the land,” and I can counsel any first timer, the “bookend” days are a great way to check out all the lesser known vendors and eateries tucked away in the corners of the fairgrounds without the bustling throngs.
We’d like to thank the folks at Carlisle Events and featured sponsor Corvette America for a really great show. See you next year!