A local annual car show brings the community back in time with more than 500 cars participating

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) —For 23 years, “The Way We Were” car show in Ballston Spa brings the community back in time with a little nostalgia for the love of the way things used to be. The annual event named after the 1970s film that gave the area a taste of Hollywood.

Back in 1973, "The Way We Were" movie came out starring Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand and some of the scenes from the movie were filmed at the Medbury Inn and Spa in Ballston Spa. Robert Redford recently passed away last month.

According to organizers, the name of the movie is what inspired this annual event, because it takes people back in time and it brings back memories for them.

“If you seen the movie, then you're familiar with the sights that were on in the film and stuff like that and I just, you know, the good old days. You know, I remember when I was a child, and as everybody gets older, everybody thinks, oh, he's back to their childhood. Most people probably usually think of the good old days, you know, no matter what age you are,” said Derek Bryan, a car show contestant.  

Bryan has been coming to the car show for 15 years and entered his 1967 Chevy Camaro SS. That Camaro one of 500 cars lining up the streets. The throwback event draws interest across several generations. 

“The little kids get excited about all the different cars. And then, you know, some of the older generations, they see there's a minivan down the road and it's the old one that one of the guys I was just talking to, he's like, “this is the one that we had as a kid, you know, and it's like a 1950," John Shea, President of the Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association.

“It's just like there's monster trucks and I never saw one before,” said Kiersten, a young child at the event with their family.

“It's a huge event going on. I didn't realize how big it was,” said Mary, the mother of Kiersten.

News10's Tyanna Xavier got to meet the owner of the oldest car there. His name was Tom Sadlin and he owned a 1921, Model T Ford. He’s won the title of oldest car 50-20 times.

“This is this is Gussy," said Sadlin. "It's been in our family since I was a little kid and stuff. Dad put it together from pieces.”

As for remnants of the film, the Front Street Social Club was front and center, which is in the same building as the Medbery Inn and Spa where parts of the movie were filmed. 

Decades later, Ballston Spa is still celebrating that same sense of nostalgia and will continue to do so for years to come, because each car has a story that helps us remember the way we were.

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