Polish up those wonderful Jaguars and join JANE as we return to beautiful Paris Hill, Maine, for lunch at a charming garden cafe, a small arts and crafts festival, and a personalized tour of one of the finest private collections of motor cars in New England.

Bob Bahre:
For those who are not familiar with Bob Bahre, he has a passion for cars and the wherewithal from his real estate development activities to exercise his passion to the fullest.  He is the owner of the New Hampshire International Speedway and one of the most distinguished collections of classic automobiles in the country.  His collection includes many Mercedes, Packards, Duesenbergs and other rare vintage autos.  It's open to the public only one day per year -- as part of Paris, Maine's Founders' Day celebrations -- so don't miss this opportunity!

Our tour and visit to the collection will follow a similar pattern as JANE's 2005 visit, (see event report here) although with some changes.

Lunch:
We will again lunch at McLaughlin Garden, 97 Main Street, South Paris, ME 04281.  Those who joined the 2005 tour will remember the lovely gardens and the excellent summer lunch.  Those who missed the 2005 event are in for a particular treat with an excellent lunch served in the Garden's rustic barn. 

Our plan will be to arrive at the Garden by 11:00 AM to allow time for a leisurely tour amid the trees and flowers, followed by lunch at 11:45.  You may wander the gardens on your own, or take part in a guided tour for $8.00.

Please note: McLaughlin Garden has a very small kitchen, so to assist them and to ensure your lunch will be ready with the rest of the group, please make sure your registration and payment are received no later than July 10, and that it includes your choice of entree so the lunch arrangements can be coordinated.

Since our visit in 2005, the Garden has filed for a beer/wine license and hope to have it in place by Founder's Day.  Regardless of this outcome, BYO is not allowed at the Garden.

Founders' Day:
Following lunch, we will cover the remaining few miles to Paris Hill and the Founders' Day celebration.  The attractions in Paris Hill include a variety of arts, crafts, and other displays on the lovely Paris Hill town green.  There will be time between our planned arrival in Paris Hill (1:30 to 2:00) and the guided tour of the collection (see below) to browse these attractions.

The Guided Tour:
At about 3 o'clock we will meet with the curator of the Museum, Jeff Orwig, for a guided tour of the Bahre collection.  We have chosen 3 p.m., as that is when the rest of the Founder's Day crowd begins to thin.  Of course, for those who want a head start on the car collection before the official tour, it will be open when we arrive in Paris.  There is a $10 donation to the town library required for admittance to the collection.

Parking:
If you're worried about the security of your precious Cat during our lunch and tour, don't.  We were successful in 2005 in arranging protected private parking at both the lunch location and within 100 yards of the village green and car collection in Paris Hill.  We anticipate similar arrangements for this year's event.

Getting There:
For those so inclined, Dennis and Prebble Eklof will be leading a caravan to South Paris from the Portsmouth Traffic Circle (info and maps).  The gathering will begin at 8:30 a.m., with departure promptly at 9:00.  If you choose to find your own way to the lunch spot, plan to arrive by 11:00 to tour the gardens, or by 11:45 for lunch only.

Local Hotels:
If you wish to stay overnight, a list of local accommodations can be found here.

Questions:
Address questions to the event hosts, Ed & Cheryl Avis, at 207-921-2230 (days), 207-737-8258 (evenings) or email at avis@gwi.net

Entry Forms:
Please send a completed entry form by email or snail mail, and snail mail a  check no late than July 10 to:

Ed Avis
252 Upper Pond Road
Litchfield, ME 04350