30th Annual Chateauguay Valley Antique Association Welcomes Record Number of Guests
What started off as an honest get together at the Huntington Fairgrounds 30 years ago has evolved into an incredible gathering of history and good old-fashioned country fun. This year proved no different with the CVAA welcoming a record number of visitors over the weekend.
The late Leslie Rennie was a great gatherer of both beautiful antiques and of history. Moving several historical landmarks to his property, he paved the way for what makes up the grounds of the annual gathering of the Chateauguay Valley’s Antique Association. The grounds, which remain in the Rennie family, are rich in history—setting the scene for one of the most anticipated celebrations of the summer season.
This year, the CVAA hosted a particularly busy weekend, welcoming approximately 3500 guests through the gates—not including exhibitors, flea market participants and volunteers. These numbers make it a record-breaking year for the association.
Currently overseen by president Rene LaBelle, this year’s CVAA designed itself around a particularly charming theme: 30 Years in Review. While every year hosts a specific theme, this year’s event pulled on little bits of the past to create a day to honour the previous annual gatherings of the CVAA. One of the organizers, Gordon Rennie, was particularly excited about the day. “I look forward to this every year, its good for the community, brings everyone together,” he said about the event on Saturday evening.
Along with J.C. Cook’s original general store (which housed a plethora of displays honouring historical events and persons in the community), the old schoolhouse was on site for visitors to wander through, finished with original school desks gathered from auctions around the area by Gordon Rennie himself. The Black Church was also restored to its former glory, complete with original church pews pulled from the Franklin Anglican Church. The entrance of the CVAA was transformed into an outdoor flea market, hosting tables chock full of rare and stunning finds for visitors to peruse, while guests could observe a lively array of displays, ranging from beautifully restored cars to antique tools. Saturday held a packed itinerary for guests, making it the busier of the two-day event, hosting the one-day vintage snowmobile show and swap meet, as well as the tractor pull. Auctioneer Randall Finnegan was on hand for an antique consignment auction, and trucks could be seen hauling off treasure from the event well into the evening.
Sunday was a little more intimate, with fewer events, allowing visitors to focus on the exhibits. The morning started off with a church service hosted by the Rennie’s United Church, followed by a pioneer breakfast under the white top. While the garden tractor pull held its own charm, the tractor parade was also a colourful and educational delight, and a fitting way to end the weekend. One of the highlights of this year’s event included the awards ceremony, a tradition that honours the efforts of the exhibitors. As usual, the ceremony was held in the afternoon on Sunday, before the event wrapped up for the season. This year’s winner’s included:
President’s Choice: Mario Turcotte; Best Restored Tractor: Ross Goodyear; Best Original Garden Tractor: Wayne Goundry; Best Restored Garden Tractor: Gilles Sabourin; Best Stationary Engine Display: Luc Grenier; Best Restored Truck: Raymond Tucker; Best Restored Car: Lorri Seller; Best Classic Car: Maurice Mongrain; Best Sports Car: Rene Allen; Pete Monique Memorial Award: Pascal Hurteau; Lyell Graham Memorial Award: Sylvaine Jobin, Ivan Graham Memorial Award: Sydney Kyle; Norma Graham for Children Display: Andy Bourgogne; Mac McNaughton Memorial Award for Best Original Car: Kenny Harrigan; Leslie Rennie Memorial Trophy for Best in Show: Rick Sherry.
Congrats to the CVAA and all those who participated to help make this year such a memorable event!