SAABs@Carlisle
Important Links
SAABs@Carlisle Registration
SAABs@Carlisle Merchandise
Carlisle Events Import & Performance Nationals Registration
Schedule of Events
Saturday People’s Choice Parking Map and Instructions
Join the SAABs@Carlisle Mailing List
Carlisle Fairgrounds Map
General Event and Travel Information
Sponsorship Opportunities
Scroll down for helpful hints for first time visitors, how to pack for the show, frequently asked questions, and the story of how all this began.
Helpful Hints for Attendees
Alcohol: Alcoholic beverages are permitted on the show grounds, however glass containers are discouraged. Security personnel reserve the right to remove anyone from the premise for drunk or disorderly conduct or who pose a risk to others. Pennsylvania does not permit alcohol sales in convenience stores. Beer and malt beverages may be purchased at local taverns and some grocery stores, limited to 192 ounces per purchase. Beer may also be purchased through Beer Distributors by the 12-pack or case only. Wine and liquor may only be purchased through state run Wine & Spirits shops.
Animal Policy: animals are discouraged on the fairgrounds. If you must bring a pet, please keep it on a leash and under control at all times. Animals should never be left unattended, particularly inside a vehicle. It is your responsibility to clean up after your pet. Please help us maintain a sanitary environment for all attendees.
For Sale Signs and Parts Sales: Carlisle Events specifies that vehicles and parts on the show field cannot display a for sale sign. Any vehicle for sale must be parked in the Car Corral area and pay appropriate fees. Parts or other merchandise must be sold through a rented vendor space in the swap meet area. This rule does not apply to club regalia merchandise.
Friday and Saturday Evening Cookouts: Central Penn SAAB Club will provide the grill, condiments and soft drinks for the cookout. Please bring along something to grill for your own dinner, and also a utensil to use while grilling (tongs, spatula, etc.).
What to Bring
This event is an outdoor, rain or shine event, so a little preparation can make all the difference in your personal comfort and enjoying the weekend.
Suitable clothing for every possible weather condition. The rule at Carlisle is that the clothing you do not pack will be exactly what you will need, as weather can vary drastically this time of year. Think in terms of layering light clothes and you should be fine. It is not unusual to see 40 degree temperature swings. Carlisle is one of those places on Earth where you can get a sunburn and hypothermia in the same weekend!
Comfortable shoes (or an extra pair if the first ones get wet)
Waterproof shoes/boots
Warm jacket (just in case)
Shorts (for those times when you don’t need the jacket)
Sweater, Sweatshirt, Hoodie (or one of each)
Rain gear, umbrella, poncho, rain slicker, rain suit (just in case)
Comfortable folding/lawn chair. ( a small folding table is nice to have, too)
Cooler and your favorite beverage(s). [See Alcohol note.]
Wash bucket and car detailing supplies: there are several water hoses available near the main restroom building adjacent to Gate 3 for use by show attendees.
For Campers: bath towel, shower kit (restrooms/showers are open 24 hours during show)
Camera or camcorder (with extra batteries, digital cards, charger).
Sunglasses and sunblock: (you may need these when it isn’t overcast or raining)
Cell phone chargers (check with us for a charging station)
Extra cash/credit card/check book for that special SAAB part or accessory. Carlisle Events has an ATM on premises, as well as cash advances for credit cards.
Friday Night Dinner – see above.
Photos of the SAABs you didn’t bring with you, along with your favorite SAAB story. (always fun to share)
Photos of any cars/parts you may have for sale. (Always helpful if you run into a potential buyer)
YOUR REGISTRATION CREDENTIALS, including windshield stickers and anything mentioned at the top of this page.
Don't forget to bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys For Tots!
Frequently Asked Questions
I already registered through Carlisle Events, why do I need to register through you? Although your registration through Carlisle Events will technically get you and your car through the gates, SAABs@Carlisle is an event-within-an-event. We organize our own shows, host tech sessions, have catered meals, etc. Many people take advantage of Carlisle's discount periods and sales throughout the year, and we don't discourage that, but please remember that you also need to register through us.
If I register through you, do I also need to sign up with Carlisle Events? Yes, see above.
Can I register by mail? We no longer accept paper registration forms. CPSC members may be able to pay registration fees by check at the April meeting.
Can I bring a different car than the one I registered? We understand that there can be issues, especially with bringing an older car to a show that may be a long distance away. We ask for your car information so that we can properly allocate space on our showfield, which is arranged by model on Saturday. Please let us know as soon as possible if you must change, and we'll do everything we can to accommodate. Final showfield layout and printing is typically done in the two weeks prior to the show, and this is when changes become difficult (especially if bringing a completely different model).
Do I have to bring a Saab? Absolutely not! We're all Saab enthusiasts, but we can understand that sometimes your Saab may not be available for the weekend. Within our designated area we have a parking section called Friends of Saab that's dedicated to non-Saab parking.
Can I still come even if I missed the deadline? Yes. Even if you've missed Registration, you can still sign up to join us on the showfield. Because of lead times in printing and laying out the showfield, unregistered cars will not be able to participate in the People’s Choice show on Saturday.
What does my registration "badge fee" pay for? Although we are blessed with some great sponsors, the cost of putting on this event is fairly substantial. Your badge fee covers the cost of our infrastructure: online registration processing, mass email campaigns, social media promotion, rental fees for the tent, tables and chairs, printing, catering, equipment, coffee and soft drinks, etc. These charges are typically more than double what the badge fee actually costs.
Why do I keep getting email reminders if I've already registered? We have a very large database of people that have previously attended a SAABs@Carlisle event that receive all of our mailings to promote the event, starting with our initial announcement through the close of late registration. Once registration closes, we send out informational emails about the current event only to registered attendees.
Why does my sticker say "Non-Judged"? There is a separate category for concours judging by Carlisle Events which is not part of our show. Please contact Carlisle Events for more information on how to participate and the additional costs associated with their judging.
Where is my sticker? If you preregistered your car(s)/trailers/tow vehicles/campsites with us, or registered at any point between last Thanksgiving and the mid-April cutoff with Carlisle Events, your sticker should be mailed to you in late April. We typically announce when they come out as part of a mass emailing. If you don’t have it, please check your receipts to be certain that you did pay for the registration you are expecting. If you preregistered through us, send us an email at centralpennsaab@gmail.com. If you registered directly with Carlisle Events, please contact them through carlisleevents.com. Typically they are very good at getting all the stickers out, but there is a lot of human interaction in the process and mistakes can happen. Assuming you don’t have a sticker by the start of the show, you’ll most likely be asked to pick it up at the regiestration building at Gate 3.
SAABs@Carlisle has grown to become the largest weekend SAAB event in North America, typically hosting 200+ SAAB cars spanning over 50 years of production. We see well over 400 guests and serve 600 meals. Below is the story of how it all started and kicked off our quest to put 100, 200, and eventually 300 SAABs on the showfield.
From The Humblest of Beginnings
It started, as so many things do. In 1999, while at the Carlisle Import, Kit and Replicar Nationals, Frank Bailey offered a beer to Marc Fails and George Basehore from the Central Penn SAAB Club. Frank, George and Marc were parked on the show field with their SAAB 900s and they alone represented 100% of the SAABs that would be in attendance that day. Having only just met, there was the usual conversation about cars; all kinds of cars. Then, the conversation turned to SAABs, and how to bring more SAABs to Carlisle.
The Plan Develops
In 2000, Marc and George returned to Carlisle with more friends from the Central Penn Saab Club. The weather chose to not be cooperative, but the club forged ahead for the first SAAB Only People's Choice and Long Distance Awards. Another first was that lunch was provided by Lehman Motors SAAB in Harrisburg, PA. CPSC member, Dr. Bill Jenkins, from Carlisle did not win the Long Distance Award, but appropriately did receive the most votes in the People's Choice balloting, with his orange '74 99 that he and his bride picked up in Sweden, while on their honeymoon. The Long Distance Award went to Norm Crowe, from Mayfield Heights, Ohio, driving his new 9-5 Aero Wagon. Norm was accompanied by Stephen Goldberger.
Having endured rain and high winds most of the morning and afternoon, our intrepid group set out on a countryside drive, heading toward Little Buffalo state park, approximately 40 miles north of Carlisle. The group of 14 SAABs, led by Dr. Jenkins, set a brisk pace, climbing Wagoner's Gap through a thick fog, before cresting the top and heading down the back side of the mountain. Arriving at the state park, in what could have been record time (as we have not set such a fast pace since), the group assembled for some photos, and Dr. Jenkins was called upon to tell a few stories from his earlier SAAB days. With darkness setting in, the group retraced their path to Carlisle and headed to dinner. The modern formula for bringing SAABs to Carlisle had been tested, but it would be several more months back in the laboratory perfecting the ingredients for 2001.
Photograph courtesy of Amy Klene, taken at SAABs@Carlisle 2018.