GEDDES, N.Y. — Despite air quality concerns and the threat of severe weather, thousands of car enthusiasts still made their way to the New York State Fairgrounds Saturday for Syracuse Nationals.
The annual event brought together classic car owners, collectors and fans to check out everything from restored classics to one-of-a-kind custom builds.
For some visitors, it was their first time experiencing the event. For others, Syracuse Nationals has become a yearly summer tradition.
Many attendees said the conditions were not enough to keep them away, with some traveling hours to walk the fairgrounds, reconnect with friends and celebrate their shared love of classic automobiles.
One visitor traveled from the Scranton, Pennsylvania area and said he’s been planning the trip for months.
“It’s about two hours,” Angel Gonzalez said. “It’s worth it.”
While crowds continued to fill the fairgrounds, some visitors said they took extra steps to stay comfortable as smoke from Canadian wildfires impacted air quality across Central New York.
Some attendees took breaks indoors, drank extra water or spent less time outside when the smoke became more noticeable.
For people with respiratory conditions, enjoying the event meant balancing the experience with their health needs.
Jasper Gneiting, who has asthma, said he had to limit his time outdoors because of the conditions.
“I’ve had to minimize how much I spend outside because too much of that, I can’t breathe properly,” Gneiting said.
Even with the added precautions, visitors continued to make the most of the final hours of Syracuse Nationals, one of Central New York’s biggest summer events.
The celebration continued Saturday night in Brewerton, where the official Syracuse Nationals after party also drew thousands of attendees.