Club Corvette has several “traditional” activities that are on our calendar of events every year. Some are weekly, monthly or seasonal and a few are annual. In addition to these standard events, our calendar is constantly being expanded with new submittals by our members and/or other clubs and organizations. Listed below are the Clubs “Traditional” events.
MONTHLY MEETING
The Club’s General Membership meeting is held on the first Tuesday of each month, 7:00pm at the SBC Restaurant, 850 W. Main St (RT#1) in Branford CT. Approximately 2 weeks prior, the agenda for the meeting is published in the newsletter “Vette Gazette”. These meetings are business/social in nature. Reports are given to the members regarding Club finances, reports from chairpersons and recent activities enjoyed by members, introduction of new members, “member news” and other items of interest. An important element of our meetings is information on up coming events. Sign up sheets are available on each event so that you can indicate your interest in participating in that event. Some members will come to SBC prior to the meeting to have dinner and socialize with other members. Our meetings are the focal from which great friendships develop. All members are encouraged to attend the monthly meeting. Remember to sign the meeting attendance sheet.
CRUISE NIGHTS
The Club host three “cruise nights”. Weather permitting, two of the three are held weekly between the months of April and November. The third is held year round. Flyers with detail information & direction for these events are available at the monthly meetings or on our web site. Advance sign up for any of these cruise nights is not required…just show up!
Tuesday
“Amarante’s Sea Cliff Inn” is the location for this event. It is a “summer” event that takes place between mid June and early September. We park our Corvettes on the Inn’s lawn over looking the New Haven harbor and enjoy an evening of DJ music, food, drinks and dancing on their large deck. This “Corvette” night is not only popular with Club members it is also a favorite of non-Club Corvette owners and the general public. It is advised that you plan on getting there on the “early side of 5pm” otherwise it could get difficult to find a parking spot on the lawn for your Vette. Time is 5pm until the music stops at 9pm. Club member contact is Ron Goldberg (203) 785-9823.
Wednesday
This cruise night usually attracts the largest number of Corvettes. It is an “old fashion” type car event. The parking lot at the “Heavenly Donuts” on Derby Ave, RT# 34, in Derby CT, is usually lined with 40-60 Corvettes. This gathering is another good mix of Club member and non member Corvette owners. Come to this one and enjoy the “small talk” and camaraderie with fellow Corvette owners. This event starts in late April and goes into the fall season. Club member contact is Bob Wadyka (203) 735-4225.
Thursday
The Thursday night cruise is held year round at the Allegra Tavern & Grille, Lakeview Center RT #1 in Branford, CT. This is mostly a social gathering. Not all members bring their Corvettes, since they come directly from work. During the warmer months dinner is available outside on the patio while members compete in games of Bocce. During the cooler weather, we meet indoors, have dinner by the fire place and just socialize. Club member contact is Jack Stacey (203) 469-5256.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Club members not only enjoy cruising in their Corvettes for personal pleasure, they also take pride in using “America’s Sports Car” to support Community events.
Memorial Day
The Club participates in Memorial Day ceremonies in the towns of both East Haven and Fairfield. In East Haven, we provide a “Vettes for Vets” chauffer service. Veterans are driven from the VFW Hall to the Memorial Day Ceremonies on the town green….an awesome sight for the on lookers and a time of Honor and Pride for those of us driving.
In the Town of Fairfield we again proudly show off America’s Sports Car as a division in the town’s parade. Club member contact is Jack Stacey (203) 469-5256.
July 4th
The Town of Madison’s 4th of July Parade has thousands of spectators along the route. As our Club’s contingent of 25 gleaming Corvettes, adorned with American Flags, makes it’s way past the crowds, an occasional revved up engine and rumbling mufflers brings a roar of approval from the crowd, a “Cool Car” from the kids and Thumbs up from the adults…Corvette life is good!! Club member contact is Les Browne (860) 669-3657.
Annual Car Show
By far the largest and most important event of the year, our all Corvette show, is held on the second Sunday of July. This is a major team effort and all members are needed to participate. Club Corvette’s show is the largest and has the reputation for being the finest of its kind in the New England region. We typically will have 300 or more Corvettes on the field with over 200 in competition for trophies and awards. This show is major fund raiser from which partial proceeds of the monies generated are distributed to Connecticut charities. Club member contact is Ed Karedes (203) 271-3060.
Branford Community Dinning Room
This activity takes place during the “off season” from October through March. It is the only time when use of our Corvettes is not part of the event. On the 4th Sunday of these months, except December, our members prepare and serve a “soup to nuts” hot meal to needy residents of the community. In December, the dinner is served on the Sunday before Christmas. Our Club Santa distributes a wrapped gift to each adult and child while our members entertain by singing seasonal songs. This is definitely a “good feeling” activity that members are encouraged to attend. Club member contact is Dennis Krajewski (203) 481-9439.
Korvettes for Kids
This is another “good feeling” event. Every December our Club supports the Connecticut State Police with their program to collect toys for needy families. Our members will collect and/or purchase the toys for donation. On a designated Sunday morning we will gather at our sponsor’s facility with our Vettes full of toys. With State Police escort and Santa in the lead Corvette, the caravan of 45-50 cars will travel on I-95 to Police HQ in Bridgeport. When all is said and done we will have delivered enough toys to put wide smiles on the faces of about 800 Kids at Christmas time. Club member contact is George Macary (203) 315-8661.
Four Day Weekends
There are two four day weekends in which some members regularly participate. The most popular is known as “Corvettes at Carlisle, PA.” This is probably the largest all Corvette event in the country and is held in late August. At Carlisle there are 2,000-3,000 vendors selling virtually any Corvette part, new or old, you’ll ever need or want. New and used Vettes could be bought or sold. There are representatives from the major after market parts distributors as well as General Motors personnel and Corvette design engineers. Typically 30-35 Club members will caravan to Carlisle for this one. Club member contact is Dennis Krajewski (203) 481-9439.
The other four day weekend that attracts some members is held at Ocean City Maryland in mid October. This is not a swap meet or technically oriented activity. It is just kick back and relax with friends. The three main elements include a road rally, judged show and parade of hundreds of Corvettes on the 2 1/2 mile long Ocean City Boardwalk. Club Member contact is Claire Grim (860) 274-4566.
Dates, times and other specific information on all of the above activities will be discussed at the monthly meetings and will also be posted in the Members Only section of our web site and on the Club’s Yahoo e-mail account. Members are encouraged to select any or all of the above activities, participate and enjoy your
Corvette and the camaraderie it generates with other Club members.