New England International Auto Show Returns to Boston
Photo by Olga Khvan from the 2015 New England International Auto Show
Five hundred vehicles will be parked on the show floor of the New England International Auto Show this year, with a combined value of $22 million.
The region’s largest showcase of new cars returns to its annual home at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center during Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend, giving 37 leading manufacturers a chance to show off the latest industry trends.
“The event truly promises something for car enthusiasts of every stripe,” says Barbara Pudney, vice president of the Paragon Group, which produces the show every year.
Indeed, while demographics compiled by the organizers show that only a quarter of attendees will actually be in the market for a new ride, the show presents plenty of opportunities to do some window shopping—and even take some models out for a spin. This year, 20 vehicles will be open for test drives around the convention center, including new models from Toyota, Chevy, and Mazda.
A few special guests will attend this year’s show.
On Sunday, January 17, IndyCar driver Simon Pagenaud will sign autographs at the Grand Prix of Boston display, which will showcase two single-seat, open-cockpit, twin turbocharged cars as a preview of the race that will take over Boston streets during Labor Day Weekend 2016.
On Monday, January 18, New England Patriots cornerback Tarell Brown will swing by for an hour-long meet-and-greet at 1 p.m.
To entertain the kids, Wally the Green Monster will also pop by on Saturday, January 16, though sans his little sister Tessie, who’s set to make her debut at the end of the month.
The five-day auto show will also feature an exotic car showcase, a distracted driving simulator that encourages participants to take a “don’t text and drive” pledge, a racing simulator, a display of alternative fuel vehicles, and more.
$15 for adults, $6 for children, free for children under six, Thursday through Monday, January 14-18, times vary, Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, 415 Summer St., Boston, bostonautoshow.com.
