The "Blizzard of 2006" and the Concord Show

As early as Tuesday morning the forecast for the weekend was dire. A major winter storm was expected to hit the northeast on Saturday or Sunday, and the weather mavens were in attack mode, conspiring to keep the populations of New England and New York captive in their homes all weekend.

We were planning to drive to Concord on Saturday morning, set up for the show after noon, and enjoy an evening with family in nearby Acton. Being native New Englanders, both of us are accustomed to the inconveniences of winter and are willing and able to cope with almost anything. We would stay alert to possible changes and alter our plans as needed.

Paul Davis Shows'  Concord show is held annually in the Concord National Guard armory, a large, brick building with a gymnasium/assembly hall one flight above street level. As it is located in a residential area, with virtually no off-street parking, many of the large numbers who attend the show each year must park a block or two away and walk to the show. From a dealer's point of view, the armory presents a particular challenge; heavy pieces of furniture (and there are usually many) must be dollied or carried up a narrow metal ramp connecting the ground and the second floor landing. Under ordinary circumstances, setting up in Concord is an ordeal, offset only by the relaxed mood inside the armory and the throng of loyal customers who annually reward our efforts.

By Friday noon, weather predictions were looking more ominous. Major snowfall was expected on Saturday night and all day Sunday. We had set aside much of Friday to pack for the show and load our van and trailer. Since we have a big booth in Concord, we had planned to take a two large pieces of furniture, along with several other things that we had set aside for this show. Fearing that the show might be cancelled, we called Paul Davis around noon to make sure that he was still planning to open on schedule. He was optimistic, since forecasters were now predicting that the storm might veer east, into the Atlantic Ocean and away from Concord. We packed a very full load, anticipating a successful show.

We slept fitfully, rising long before our alarm went off. Outside, there was a dusting of snow, but nothing serious. Before breakfast we checked Weather Underground, our on-line weather source. Fitchburg, many miles west of Concord, had already received fourteen inches of snow. We decided to unload our van and pack a much smaller load in our four wheel drive SUV.

We envisioned forty vans vying for three or four cleared parking spaces outside the armory. In our minds' eyes we watched forty dealers trying to push dollies and hand trucks up an aluminum ramp covered with snow. We considered what it would be like to sit in the armory all day Sunday, while our potential customers sat comfortably at home, having heeded the stern warnings of the weather industry.

While we considered these factors, we received calls from dealer friends in Southampton, MA and Portsmouth, RI. All were torn between loyalty and common sense, as were we. We volunteered to call Paul Davis once again.

We reached Paul at the Concord Starbucks, immersed in an urgent discussion with Howard Graff, who, in addition to being a dealer in Paul's Concord show, manages the Vermont ADA show. Our call apparently arrived at a critical point in their discussion. While it had become clear that the show would create a tragic disappointment, Paul had already paid most of the bills. Ads had been run in trade and local papers, hall rental had been paid, and -- as we spoke -- Stacy Exposition Services were setting up the rented walls and paper that help to make the show look so good.

Our conversation was interrupted once, by a call from another dealer in the show who, because of health and safety concerns, had made the decision not to drive to Concord. Paul conveyed his concerns to us, on the one hand, the safety of dealers, on the other, the large amounts of money spent in advance. If the show were to be cancelled, these expenses were mostly irretrievable. But under the circumstances, financial disaster was inevitable whether or not the show were held. Paul decided to cancel.

This difficult decision proved to be a wise one. Snowfall in the Boston area was remarkably heavy, and blizzard conditions closed the Massachusetts Turnpike and other major arteries. One can only imagine driving and walking conditions in heavily populated greater Boston communities like Concord. Ironically, here in Conway we got only about three inches of snow, but even that insignificant amount, coupled with all of the media coverage and warnings, managed to keep everyone off of the roads. We enjoyed a productive and very quiet weekend at home, sorry to have missed a favorite show, but thankful for our safety.

We are happy to report that Paul has announced an April "rain date" for the show: Sunday, April 30. Venue and show hours are the same, and the weather should be quite a bit nicer. Details and a show card will be available on this website as the date approaches.

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