SNYRA Reunion Promises a Look Back at the Best of Danbury

“This is a big year for the Southern New York Race Arena (S.N.Y.R.A.) Reunion. It's our tenth reunion, it's been 30 years since the track closed, and the 60th year of our being a club,” said TJ Hansen, senior trustee of the Mill Plain Independent Hose Company #12. “I worked the pit gate at the arena from '68 to '81. I was happy to be there ever Saturday night. It was fun. It was a lifetime of fun.”

 The last race was on September 19, 1981, and that date figures into this year's changes. Mike Flanagan, treasurer of the race reunion committee, said, “This is a major change for us, and this year we are holding it during Fair Week.”

 The reunion is moving to a new home this year, and hopes to make that move permanent. “We are going to hold it in the fall this year, when everyone is back from vcation. And having it at PAL will be good, too, because this is for the kids,” said Bob Brought, who is a volunteer at the firehouse and a collector of all things Danbury.

 According to Brought, many of the original and restored pieces from the Danbury Fair, such as Uncle Sam and possibly Santa Claus, will be on display at the reunion. There will also be memorabilia and old movies from the fair and other Danbury points of interest.

 Drivers Evie Pierce and Donald LaJoie, who raced in Danbury's Racearena, will be there for a meet and greet and autographs and Dave King, who sings at Rosie Tomorrows at least once a month, will sing the song he wrote about the Danbury Fair. The nostalgic tune was not based on King's personal experience. He had not lived in the area, and never attended the fair. However, his song and the clips in the video are a tribute to a time and place forever etched in the minds of Danburians. (see attached video)

 “It was one of those things,” said Flanagan. “The fair, the races, the hats, those are the things that defined Danbury.”

 Flanagan said that on an average night, 7,500 people were in the stands to watch the races. “But on trophy night, as many as 10,000 would come. The following was huge, and they were all vocal fans.”

“We are hoping for a dozen restored cars from Danbury, as well as cars from other places. If people have memorabila or photos, bring it to the reunion. We want this to be a celebration of the fair and the races,” Flanagan.

 “There will be musical acts, hats, pins, programs, all kinds of food, DVDs of The Racearena, of the fair, of the parades, even of the flood," said Brought.

"There will also be a late 40s racing boat that raced the waterway that ran around the race track until it was filled in, in '51," said Flanagan.

The Danbury Museum and Historical Society will also be bringing items for sale as well as information.   "The whole exhibit will show life in Danbury from 1940s to 1971,” said Brought. “This will be a great event and one not to miss!”

The event will be held at the Danbury PAL building, 35 Hayestown Road, September 25 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.