Watkins Glen is the birthplace of the Corvette, ‘America’s sports car,’ and Corvette owners and fans will be celebrating that proud history this weekend
Corvette: Thunder in the Glen will bring together Corvettes of all eras for an exciting weekend for everyone, from enthusiasts to the general public. Presented on Saturday and Sunday by Watkins Glen Promotions, most Thunder in the Glen events are free for spectators.
The festival opens Saturday with a Corvette car show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Clute Park on the shores of beautiful Seneca Lake. Visitors will enjoy a stunning display of Corvettes, food vendors, and merchandise sales. Spectators will be invited to vote for People’s Choice Award winners, making this a truly interactive experience.
On Saturday evening, Richard Prince, Corvette Hall of Fame member and renowned automobile photographer, will be the featured speaker at a ticketed dinner. Prince’s engaging talk will cover the Corvette brand and its storied history.
Prince has been immersed in the Corvette hobby since the 1970s. From 1988 through 1995, he owned and operated a full-service Corvette restoration shop and has been writing about and photographing Corvettes and other vehicles since 1991. In addition to his most recent book, Corvette Stingray The Mid-Engine Evolution, which was published in 2024, and Corvette 70 Years: The One and Only, which was published in 2023, he has authored a 1968-1982 Corvette restoration guide book and two Corvette buyer’s guide books.
Prince’s writing and photography have also appeared in more than 400 publications around the world, including Car and Driver, Road & Track, Motor Trend, Automobile, Hot Rod, Corvette Magazine, Vogue, Maxim, The New York Times, USA Today, Racecar Engineering, Vintage Motorsport, and RACER.
More than 100 Corvettes move to downtown Watkins Glen on Sunday. The cars will be lined up on a closed North Franklin Street, from Second to Tenth streets, between noon and 4 p.m. Free Corvette-themed short films will be playing at The Glen Theater from 1-2 p.m., and local businesses will be open, welcoming shoppers with special offerings.
At 4 p.m., Corvette owners will fire up their engines for parade laps around the historic Original Grand Prix Circuit, followed by laps at Watkins Glen International, one of the most iconic racetracks in the world.
For more details, visit vettefest.org and follow on Facebook at “Watkins Glen Corvette: Thunder in the Glen.”
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