Monday, April 21, 2014

ANTIQUE BOAT MUSEUM ANNOUNCES OPENING WEEKEND ACTIVITIES, 2014 EVENT SCHEDULE & MORE


Calendar of the Antique Boat Museum Events for 2014 found below.


CLAYTON, New York (April 21, 2014) – The Antique Boat Museum (ABM), North America’s premier freshwater nautical museum based in Clayton, New York, announced today details of the upcoming 2014 season.

The ABM will kick-off the 2014 season with a free magnetic calendar giveaway, Symposium, store sale, and more, beginning on May 2.

Opening Weekend/Symposium

The first 500 visitors to the ABM in 2014 will receive a complimentary magnetic event calendar, featuring one of the Museum’s speedboats, courtesy of Watertown Savings Bank.

Symposium, which focuses on engines, is scheduled to be held May 2-4 and will be instructed by highly regarded professionals in the field. Registration remains open for this event and those interested should contact Julie Broadbent at 315-686-4104 x235.

Along with Symposium, the ABM will celebrate the re-opening of its store, now known as Bowline Boutique, with a blowout sale on all remaining inventory from 2013. Plus, author Tony Mollica will make a visit to sign books on May 3 from 3-4 p.m.

2014 Events

This season, the ABM embarks on a full calendar of activity that will see more than 40 public and private events, not including the multiple ABM education courses, occur at the Museum in the 24 weeks between May 2 and October 11. Nearly every weekend not slated to host a Museum event is scheduled for a wedding or other private gathering.

In May, the ABM will play host to a benefit concert featuring local rock band Minus Mike. This event will assist local radio personality Holly “Cricket” Gaskin as she fights a genetic disease and mounting medical expenses. It is open to the public and admission is just $5. Also in May, KeyBank and the ABM will host the annual Volunteer Breakfast on May 22. This annual affair serves as a recruiting event, as well as a time for past volunteers to declare their interests in helping for the season.

On May 23 from 5-7 p.m., the ABM and Community Bank N.A. invite the public to attend the formal opening of the Museum’s newest exhibit during a free reception. Curator Emmett Smith and Assistant Claire Wakefield have prepared an astonishing exhibit in the Launch Building, which will be known as The National Motor Boat Show. The opening of this exhibit comes after a long off-season of work by the ABM, including painting of the building, creation of signage, research, and moving boats out of storage.

In June, the popular 1000 Islands Family Day returns on June 14 and will fall on Clayton’s busiest weekend of the summer. This free admission day is presented by Watertown Savings Bank and will feature numerous displays and activities, as well as discounted speedboat rides. Also, the Great International Steamboat Flotilla returns for its third consecutive year on June 15-21.

July Jubilee returns on July 3 with live music, lawn games, food, drinks, and the Clayton fireworks display. On July 12, the Museum will host the 4th annual Concours d’Elegance Classic Car Show presented by RBC Wealth Management. Corvette is the marque car of 2014.

The biggest event of the summer sets sail on August 1, as the 50th annual Antique Boat Show & Auction gets underway. Known as the longest running Antique Boat Show in North America, this year’s show is shaping up to be one of the best. The fun will continue over the course of 10 days as numerous events and activities continue to be planned. The celebration will wrap up with the running of the Antique Raceboat Regatta August 8-10.

A current event schedule is shown below, but subject to change.

2014 Event Schedule

May 2                                                    Museum Opens
May 2-4                                                Symposium: Engines
May 6                                                    National Tourist Appreciation Day – Buy one, Get one admission for out-of-state visitors with valid ID
May 10                                                 Benefit Concert featuring live music by Minus Mike
May 22                                                 Volunteer Breakfast presented by KeyBank
May 23                                                 Exhibition Opening Reception presented by Community Bank N.A.

June 10                                                 National Iced Tea Day – complimentary iced tea for visitors
June 14                                                 1000 Islands Family Day presented by Watertown Savings Bank - Free admission all day courtesy of WSB
June 15-21                                          Great International Steamboat Flotilla
June 29                                                 USCG Auxiliary Free Boat Inspection Day

July 3                                                     July Jubilee/Clayton Fireworks
July 12                                                   1000 Islands Concours d’Elegance Classic Car Show presented by RBC Wealth Management

August 1-10                                        50th Annual Antique Boat Show Celebration
August 1-3                                          50th Annual Antique Boat Show & Auction presented by RBC Wealth Management
August 2                                              Boat Show Block Dance featuring 1960s cover band Dunes & the Deltunes presented by RBC Wealth Management
August 6                                              20th Anniversary Celebration of the “Friends of the Museum”
August 7                                              Showing of raceboat themed movie Madison (2005)
August 8-10                                        Antique Raceboat Regatta presented by RBC Wealth Management

September 4                                      Volunteer Appreciation Dinner presented by KeyBank

October 11                                          Workboat Show

December 19                                     Museum Closes

2014 Admission Rates

General admission rates for the 2014 “summer” season are shown below –

Adult                                                     $13
Senior (65+)                                       $12
Youth                                                    $7
Youth (6 & under)                            Free
Family (2 adults, 2 youth)             $33
ABM/Fredric Remington Art Museum Combo Pass
                                                                $16
Group                                                   Call ahead for rates
Military (active/retired)                Free
Retired Military Spouse                 $7

Museum Store now Bowline Boutique

The shopping experience at the ABM takes on a new look and feel in 2014. The Museum Store has been renamed Bowline Boutique and now features a green and white color scheme, historical photographs on display, and boats serving as both décor and merchandising displays.

In addition, the ABM has named Tish Michelson as Store and Admissions Manager.


The ABM is home to North America’s largest antique boat collection with more than 300 boats and over 1,000 boating artifacts. In addition, the Museum is also host of the longest running antique boat show, which will celebrate its 50th year this August 1-3, and is known as the birthplace of the antique raceboat regatta. For more information, please visit the Museum’s website at abm.org.