The Saab Owners Convention (sponsored by eEuro! Have you heard?) is upon us, and the schedule is jam packed with events, seminars, contests, competitions, and a whole lot of food and drink. You can view the full schedule by clicking this link. Here’s a look at what the upcoming weekend has to offer.
Friday
There are two things you might want to do before the official festivities kick off on Friday
- Wash your Saab at the car wash, located at The Desmond EastSide near the loading dock. The car wash opens at 7 am.
- Register at the Hagerty Insurance Registration table in the Fort Orange courtyard, open from 8 am – 5 pm.
Now that your Saab is gleaming in the morning sun and your registration is taken care of, it’s time to dig into the convention. Four events start at 9 am, so rise early! Albany Saab Shop is bringing back the Dyno they used in 2011 and parking it in the Lower West Lot. If you made modifications to your Saab and want to measure your improvements, this is where you want to be.
The Saab Parts North America Parts Tent also opens at 9 am in the Fort Orange Ballroom, but you need to pre-register and get their early. Day pass attendees aren’t allowed into the Tent on opening day. There’s also a Vendors Area in the West Parking Lot where you can come say hi to eEuroparts (hello!) and the rest of the vendor contingent. As if talking to the people behind eEuro isn’t cool enough, there is a Swap Meet and Flea Market brought to you by Charles River Saab in the West Parking Lot. Luckily all four of the areas opening at 9 am run until 5 pm, with the exception of the Parts Tent that closes at 4 pm, so you have all day to wander in and out of each area. At noon, eEuroparts will be hosting a boxed lunch in the King Street Courtyard at noon for every pre-registered attendee. Delicious food, courtesy of eEuro. Yum.
But wait, there’s more! Friday’s SOC features four seminars, including a talk at 1 pm by eEuro’s own Jordan Pagano. Jordan will discuss Classic 900 Trionic5 conversion, a truly fascinating topic and one that Jordan is an expert in. Come to the High Street Conference Center 26 at 1 pm and enjoy the event!
At 6pm cocktails at a cash will be served in the King Street Ballroom followed by the welcome dinner at 7 pm, with a keynote address by Tim Colbeck. After dinner, “parking lot socializing” starts at 9:30 pm, and Club SOC opens at 10 pm in the Gazebo in the NE Corner. I’m tired just writing about it, so at this point you might want to turn in and get some rest for a busy Saturday.
Saturday
Saturday again begins with the car wash at 7 and registration at 8. DYNO, the Vendor area, the Parts Tent, and the Swap Meet all open and close at the same time as Friday. The highlight of Saturday is the People’s Choice and Concours de Saab competition, where everyone’s most prized possessions are lined up in the Lower West Lot. Parking begins at 9 am, so if you brought a Saab to show off, make sure to get it to the Lower West Lot between 9 – 10 am. Voting for the People’s Choice Award opens at 10:30am and runs until 2 pm, and judging for the Concours de Saab begins at 11 am and finishes at 3 pm. Meanwhile, eEuroparts will host a BBQ lunch cookout at noon in the picnic area, again for every pre-registered attendee, so bring your appetite and a bib.
Group photos take place from 4 – 5pm, and then cocktails start again at 6. The MileHi Body Shop Awards Banquet starts at 7 pm, where awards will be distributed and good food will be eaten. Parking lot socializing is back on at 9:30pm, where winners will be congratulated and losers will be gently ribbed.
Sunday
Sunday is short but important. The only event scheduled is the John Moss Charity Auction in the Fort Orange Courtyard from 9 – 11 am. The auction supports the Double H Ranch, a camp co-founded by Charles R. Wood and Paul Newman that provides specialized programs and year-round support for children and their families dealing with life-threatening illnesses. It’s a fantastic cause and we hope to see you all there!
Don’t forget, you can win Saturday Convention Passes by telling us about your first Saab. Leave a message in the comments below or on our Facebook page and you can win!
