lfa Owners of New England is proud to announce the 2004 AROC Convention, dubbed "Giulietta Giubilee"! The convention will be based in Manchester, New Hampshire, the weekend of July 28 - August 1, 2004.

Manchester is a good-sized city in southern NH. Not only is it within 30-45 minutes of all the major convention venues, but it also boasts its own international airport, so attendees who can’t manage the drive (for shame!) will have an option from Boston’s Logan International Airport. Furthermore, there are many stores and restaurants within walking distance of the convention center.

Our convention will honor the 50th anniversary of the Giulietta, but we’ll also have a lot to offer drivers of all Alfas. The convention center is just minutes away from some of the most fabulous driving roads in New England, so even if you choose not to participate in the driving tour or road rally there will still be plenty of opportunity to enjoy some of the best driving to be had in this country!  There will also be plenty to do for family members who may not be quite as passionate about Alfa Romeo as you are (it could happen!). New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont are popular vacation destinations for families all over the place; in fact, we’ve already heard from many club members who are looking forward to spending a week or more on either side of the convention enjoying New England.

Our schedule will be filled with events for all kinds of enthusiasts. We’re planning on an evening at New England Dragway (!), Time Trials at New Hampshire International Speedway, an Autocross at New Hampshire International Speedway, a Road Rally on some of the finer roads in New Hampshire, a Driving Tour that should get you up into the famous White Mountains, a Banquet, and wrapping it all up a Concours in the town park right across the street from the convention center (after which you can walk back, hop in your car, and continue your New England adventure!).

In the spirit of cooperation, we’re working with members from several other chapters, including Connecticut, Detroit (which runs a fine autocross, as anybody who has attended the last couple of conventions can attest), and Long Island.

We’ll also have more for the family, including activities for the kids!

Oh, and while it’s important to plan plenty of activities, we also realize that the real highlight of our convention is the cars!  So, we’ve made sure that our convention center has a nice parking lot/garage, and we’ve already made arrangements to block off large portions of it for reserved Alfa parking, and to host some activities there around the cars.

For additional information, watch this space over the coming months for detailed write-ups on each of our major venues. You can also check out our web site at www.giubilee.com, and be sure to sign up for our Convention Update Email List while you’re there.

We’re still in need of help for some of our activities!  Many have approached me with offers of help for some of the tasks that need to be staffed. Well, the time is here! We’ll be spending some time on convention-related activities at the holiday party, so if you want to help, try to attend, or email me at bshorey@yahoo.com.