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I think I’ve seen a couple of posts like this already, I think, but since the season is closeing I thought I would toss in my 2 cents on this.
Advertise your show. Hand out flyers, post on websites, post flyers at parts stores and so on.
If you have a large show (bigger then 300 cars) see if you can crane up some speakers so everyone can hear. Keep the talking down to a minimum.
Door prizes, skip the gift cards and coupin to local places.
Get some signs out on the roads so we all know where to turn to get to the show.
Stick with the normal food items but try to mix it up with one or two different things (corn, pie, bars …).
Keep the awards presentation on time!
If you have the staff help us park the cars in the spot you want us at.
Don’t charge people to look at the cars (exception is Jefferson, or large shows with +400 cars; I have no plans to attend the Verona show next year because the charge folks to see the 50 cars that show up).
If possible mix it in with a festival, craft show ….
Put in one class for the kids with their hopped up Honda’s.
Put in one class of motorcycles.Doing this will bring in more cars (more money for the show) and more folks to check out the cars. They are part of the Hobbie too!
For shows with +200 cars try to get some sponsorship from places like Hagerty, Mcguires, jegs, year one and so on.
Create a website for your show. There are free places and it only cost like 8 bucks a year for a decent web address.
Hire a professional photographer to take photos and offer them on a website to order prints (no cost to hire the person, but the person make all the money or a percentage of the sale goes to the show from the things that are ordered).
I’ll add more as I think of them ….
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There’s a whole lot we can talk about in this topic, so just post what you think of when you think of it and keep adding to it. Lets talk about what good things/problems we saw and maybe some ways we could fix them (or ways shows fixed them this year?).
Quote:If you have a large show (bigger then 300 cars) see if you can crane up some speakers so everyone can hear. Keep the talking down to a minimum.Agreed. More often than not its either too loud or it can’t be heard at all, like at Pardeeville. The Beloit Autorama had a good solution to this by putting the speakers on a lift way above the cars in the middle, so the sound reached all but it wasn’t unbearable near it
Quote:Create a website for your show. There are free places and it only cost like 8 bucks a year for a decent web addressAnother good point, get your show and its content out there! In fact, we’ll go a step further here and host any show’s website and even help them create it. That way there will be no cost to them.
Quote:Door prizes, skip the gift cards and coupin to local places.Even cash would be great!
Amigo-2K,
I take exception to your remarks about the Verona show. I would bet you my last dollar that there were more than 50 cars at the Verona Show this year. I think there were 50 cars alone in the 64-69 Factory Stock Class. Verona is one of my favorite shows, and I haven’t missed one for the last five years. Charging admission at this show is a fund raiser for the Sugar River Classics who also hosted two shows in Belleville this year.
And, the fee is nomimal as I recall, maybe $1 or $2 tops, per person.But your point about charging spectators is well taken. At no show, other than a show like Jefferson or Automotion should a spectator be charged to enjoy the cars.
I would only add that there needs to be enough classes to make most cars competitive in the proper class, to include trucks, special interest, imports, convertibles, future classics, factory stock, factory muscle, T birds, Camaro’s , Corvettes, etc.
Marshall
Now that I rethink it, you are right. A buck or two, as long as it goes towards a cause is a good thing. I don’t think automotion charges (at least I didn’t pay to walk in last year; but they should charge).
Also, another cool thing is to have a 50/50 raffle where 50% of it goes towards a cause.
John Washbush, a member of the forum, sent me an email about this topic. He has some very interesting points and relates some of this from his perspective. Here’s what he said:
Washbush:
Last summer I attended no less than 15 car shows. Maybe even more. I paid on the average of $10 admission to show my car. By the end of summer, I had contributed $150 to the cause of showing cars to people who haven’t paid a cent and wouldn’t know what they were looking at if it got up and bit them. I bought this unusual car in Europe, had it restored, shipped it back to the US, and now keep it up only so that people who have never seen one can see one. And, I am getting fed up with being charged to show it off.Most of my friends agree that we will see $15 and $20 admissions for car shows next summer. If that is true, I will not go. I understand that some few rare shows are actually fund raisers for genuine causes, such as the Veterans Memorial Car Show down in Kenosha. The organizers of that show actually write a check and present it to one of a number of Veterans groups. But, as near as I can remember, that is about the only one. One most of the others, I feel that I not only am bringing the entertainment, but I am pay for the advertising and putting on the show also.
Someone is going to say, “Hey, they need to charge something to pay for the dash plaques and trophies!†And, to that I say, I have not seen a dash plaque in years. This past summer what I got was a refrigerator magnet with a little piece of double faced tape on the back. As for trophies, what does a piece of plastic mean when the “voting†is done by the uninformed nonpaying public who happens to wonder in? People’s Choice? I say Horse Pucky. And, to have the car owners vote is even a bigger joke. At one show I attended this year, the South Shore Yacht Club Show, the event organizer told me, “We are very proud of the fact that we had a broad representation of really good cars here this year. In the voting, almost every car on the grounds received at least one vote!†Now, isn’t that just about what you would expect when nearly every driver there votes for his own car?
So, I say, I think it is time to begin to boycott the big buck shows when the “admission charge†turns out to be profit for the organizer. I think it is time to boycott the shows where the general public who attends is not charged an admission. I think that I personally will stop reaching for my wallet every time I want someone to see my car. Many guys have much more money that I have invested in their cars, and those guys should be the guests of the show. Car shows are the only spectator sport that I can think of where the players pay admission and the fans walk in free.
What do you think about that?
Washbush makes some very pertinent points and I, personally, agree with many of them. I think $15 or $20 is way too much to get your car into a show, just so that someone can turn a profit. This is why I stopped going to the Tallard’s Station get togethers on the weekends and I am becoming skeptical of the Quaker Steak and Lubes motives. As best as I can tell, there are no special incentives for those of us who bring our cars, other than getting together with our friends.
My main point in responding, is something that hasn’t been touched on yet. I sincerely look forward to the weekend shows so that I can “hang out” with my old car friends. I have made many, many new friends the past couple of years going to the local shows and I look forward to seeing them on the weekends at the various shows around the area. I don’t spend alot of mental energy thinking about who is judging a show or how a judge actually looks at my car. I am more about wandering around talking with lots of people, taking photographs, and just getting the most out of my $10 admission.
In closing, I too, am a big fan of the 50/50 raffles, even though I have never won one. I would like to see the flee market, dime store door prizes die a natural death, too. In my opinion, door prizes, even when there are many, should be something special, not a cheap plastic key ring or something similar.
Marshall
Marshall did QSL charge admission for their Sunday shows this year, or do you mean in connection with their buffet? I think its easier paying admission (for both vehicles and spectators) if you know the money is going to a charity or good cause. For me the motivation for going is pretty much the same as what Marshall said, see the classics and talk with friends about cars and just have a fun, relaxing time. I always enjoy seeing what new cars will show up this weekend at the show too.
Circletrack had mentioned a very interesting idea about the 50/50 raffel. She said the Berlin show doesn’t charge admission for the cars or spectators, but instead gets their money from the 50/50. Its a very interesting idea, because the people who pay actually have a chance to win a good sized amount but at the same time their money is going towards paying for the show. Too bad more shows can’t do something like this. I would also like to see more interesting/creative door prizes. They could give away stuff that would be more useful, like you said keyrings or gift cards to local stores aren’t really useful. It would be cool if they could give away a few model cars maybe. What ideas do you guys have for good door prizes?
50/50 is a great idea to raise money from a spectator if you don’t have to be present to win. So that is a whole different deal since most of the time they walk around with a roll of tickets and no sign up forms. You would probably sell more if you didn’t need to be present.
Ideas for Door Prizes?
What about prepaid gas cards in fixed amounts of $5 or $10 to spread around to several or many car owners? All of us use gasoline, not only in our show cars but our daily drivers. Also, what about car care products such as Black Magic Wet Shine or Meguiar’s Quik Detailer or tire black or any other commonly used car care product.
Marshall
I like it when shows start out with smaller prizes and work up to bigger prizes towards the end of the day. Granted, 99.9% of the time we stay until the very end of the show to support and congratulate the winners. I also go to shows to see friends and enjoy the company of others who enjoy cars as much as I do.
I’m not a fan of gift cards/certificates either, especially if I’m an hour or so from home and most likely won’t get back to that area anytime in the future. I like the idea of gas cards and products we can use for our cars, I can only imagine the amount of wax products we used this year!
Cash prizes would be nice. The Dells Area Cruisers entice more people to preregister by giving away money and hotel rooms, this works nicely for them.Gas cards are definitely a good idea, something everyone can and will use. Who would donate those, the gas companies? If you had a choice, what products specifically would you most prefer to win? Of course cash is always an option! icon_cheesygrin.gif
Quote:Gas cards are definitely a good idea, something everyone can and will use. Who would donate those, the gas companies? If you had a choice, what products specifically would you most prefer to win? Of course cash is always an option! icon_cheesygrin.gifLetters to all the main gas suppliers in the area is where we would start first.
Use part of the 50/50 earning to purchase other cards and prizes as needed.
I’m cool with wax and detail products. If it is something I wouldn’t use on the VW I will use it on the daily drivers.
Actually, the sponsor or car club hosting the show could purchase a limited quantity of small amount prepaid gas cards – say $10 cards and give out a couple each hour. This could come out of earnings from the 50/50 raffle or from registration fees.
In regards to the car care products, lots of Auto Part stores could/would donate for a little free publicity. My personal favorites are Meguiar’s Quik Detailer and Black Magic Wet and Wax.
Marshall
Also, in regards to cash – there were several (maybe 7 or
cash door prizes of $10 each given out at the Taste of Portage Show this year after the trophies were handed out. This amount represented the remaining profits from putting on the show.Marshall
I have been reading with interest the comments on what makes a good car show. I find some of the comments concerning the cost to attend etc. interesting. Lets say I have been around the car scene a few days and can remember the days when a car show was a venue for those who were interested in cars and not trophies, door prizes, dash plaques. No entry fees, no door prizes, no music just an appreciation for the craftsmanship. I have several questions:
1. Would you attend a Car Show which didn’t have Trophies or other awards.?
2. Would you attend a Car Show which didn’t have Dash Plaques?
3. Would you attend a Car Show which didn’t have food vendors?
4. Would you attend a Car Show which didn’t have Porta Johns?
5. Would you attend a Car Show which didn’t have music?
6. Would you attend a Benefit Car Show, no prizes,awards etc.
7. Would you attend a Car Show because you enjoy being around others who have a similiar interest in cars etc. Show your car because you are proud of the results of your hard work putting the car together. Have to bring your own picnic lunch ,get to share time with family and friends and make new friends. Come when you want and leave when you want.
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