Vintage snowmobiles return to park Saturday

Residents will find vintage snowmobiles of every type and model and some of the most unusual snow machines ever made when they visit the Tupper Lake Municipal Park this Saturday for another version of the Vintage Show and Swap Meet.

The popular event is again sponsored by the Tupper Lake Snowmobile Club. Key organizers again this year are Reese and Kelly Fleury.

If this year's event mirrors recent ones here, there will be vintage snowmobile buffs and their unique sleds from all over the northeast. Visitors may witness some “horse trading” of sleds and plenty of trivia and facts about old snowmobiles and the way that early riders in the 1960s and 1970s had to always be ready for break-downs on the trail.

The show starts at 8a.m. but vintage snowmobile owners will be pulling in as early as Friday evening, so the grounds will take shape fast.

The event will again feature trophies in a number of categories and door prizes. Trophies will be presented at 2p.m. after a morning of judging.

Advance registration has been strong in recent weeks, according to Mrs. Fleury, “and so we expect to see a lot of people from out of town.”

As people inspect the old and sometimes pristine vintage sleds that day, Kelly said a common comment organizers expect to hear from people is “I used to own one of those!”

To feed the hungry, Mike Vaillancourt's Porkbusters trailer will be open at the event.