Antique Boat Show to mark 20th anniversary

The Antique and Classic Boat Festival and Show, a major gathering of antique motorboats from the East coast, will mark its 20th anniversary with the return of the steam-powered launch Ben Gunn, whose crew will offer free rides on the lake during the show.

In addition, all former chapter presidents of the Smith Mountain Lake Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society, the sponsor, will attend the event on Saturday, Sept. 18 at Mariners Landing Resort and Conference Center in Huddleston. Show hours are 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The boat show is free and open to the public. Along with antique boats, it will feature water and up-close on-the-shore displays of early boating and nautical artifacts; on-water boat demonstrations; music; food; and a variety of craft and collectibles vendors.

Visitors will be able to vote for the People's Choice Award.

This year's show again will feature a Youth Judging event for children. A new, expanded show brochure profiling many of the boats entered in the show will be handed out to visitors.

More than 2,000 visitors attended the 2009 show, which featured 45 boats.

For more information, visit www.woodenboats.net.