Classic car parade rumbles into town

FALLS VILLAGE — The Vintage Race Car and Sports Car Parade left Lime Rock Park at 5 p.m., made its way through Lakeville and Salisbury, and rolled down Main Street to the center of Falls Village at about 5:38 p.m.

There were 128 vehicles registered.

The parade is part of Lime Rock Park’s Historic Festival, now in its 42nd year.

The cars were preceded by a group of bagpipers, the Talcott Mountain Highlanders from Simsbury.

And the drivers were welcomed by stiltwalkers from Mortal Beasts and Deities, waving checkered flags.

Of particular note to Falls Village residents: a car bearing the logo from Jacobs Pontiac, and a Corvair truck bearing the legend “John Fitch and Co., Falls Village, Conn. 203 TA 4- 5113.”

Lou Timolat, who was helping to direct traffic, noted that the Fitch garage was at 100 Main St., and that the “TA” in the phone number stood for “Taylor”. (It also corresponds to the now-familiar 824 prefix on Falls Village and North Canaan land line phone numbers.)

Wanda Houston performed with her group. The stiltwalkers danced to the music (and made it look easy).

And racing fans mingled with locals, spreading out over the downtown Falls Village area, eating and drinking and admiring the cars as late afternoon turned into evening.

Patrick L. Sullivan

Main Street in Falls Village was the final destination for the race car parade, part of Lime Rock Park’s Historic Festival.