Car shows

[normanpitkin]

A general question ,in the Uk most (nearly all) car shows ask for 5 or 10 pounds admission or charge for a car to enter a show. One I asked about today said if I paid 20 on the gate I would be ALLOWED in!!!  Surely if its a car show ,the cars ARE the show ,without us ,they have nothing! Whats the protocol in the states?

[Mark D]

I've always had a problem with this as well, and with the exception of one show that uses the money for charitable purposes, and another that gives good value for the fee (food, entertainment, etc..) I don't feel it's fair.  There's another local show that collects only from the cars and spectators are free, which I feel is quite upside down.  

Seven years ago when I bought my first p15 I attended a lot of shows. Nowadays I'm happy to take the odd tour with likeminded car friends, wrench on my cars, and drink beer or two in the Garage with my buddies. 

[plymjim]

  Around here, mid Atlantic & southern USA there are LOTS of cruise ins

at burger joints, shopping centers, etc. for free. Car shows that charge

you to enter your car are usually charity supporters.

  Whenever you take your car out & park somewhere it usually turns

into a one car car show  though.

[Plymouthy Adams]

the fees for the owner verse free walk in spectator was getting so bad in my area I stopped participating long ago...PLUS...once in place, you were locked in for the full term of the show, no movement of cars during the event.  Cruise ins still come and go as you see fit, if and when I attend one of these I will drive in, park, get out and socialize a bit then get in my car and go back to the house....not stuck there for a long time babysitting a vehicle...

[greg g]

Most clubs use the show as the annual fund raising activity, most around here are also donating a portion of the proceeds to a named cause? Most are in the $8 to $12 range with a couple bucks off for early pre registration.  We have a couple where entry fees also include two pancake breakfasts or two lunches. When you add up the cost of trophies, commeratitive plaques and facility rental, I would guess many don't get much the break even point if fewer than 150 cars show up.  It is getting to where some cruise ins are charging a buck or two, then hounding you to buy 50/50 and other raffle tickets.  Most of these are done by commercial business, who benefit from more business on cruise nights or town parks as part off a farmers market.

 

[Desotodav]

Most local shows here in Oz charge an entry fee, which in my experiences can range from $5 to $10. There is often an additional fee for showing or judging your vehicle, which can range from $5 to $20. Some of the shows allege that they donate a portion of funds raised to charity, and others use funds (as GregG suggested above) for administration costs of their car club.

I visited the Peterson Car Museum in LA with Hank while I was over that way earlier this year for the truck BBQ at Tim's. They had something like a $20 entry charge for viewing vehicles... but well worth it in my opinion as they really had some great old vehicles there!

[Andydodge]

Gidday Dav...........yep, here in oz if its a small show its generally a nominal fee with a basic form fill in, this is usually due to insurance reasons so that there is a record of the car being an actual entrant and if John Citizen falls arse over tit on the protruding bumper bar of the 1918 Frod and breaks his leg then the insurance policy that the club has will cover the incident..........I've been involved in various car clubs and organisations for 35yrs and the insurance issue is the reason for a lot of things............I used to organise a model show..........plastic models, cars, trucks, planes etc......no radio control or trains, or playing drones,  nothing that moved, just all display hand built models......insurance was thru my hobby shop and one year it went from an extra $50 to cover the show to a quote of over $1000........after a lot of phone calls and arguing they agreed to reduce it to the previous $50 but I had to sign an extra waver and indemnity ..............so $5-10 entry fee seems o/k to me............in fact the local vintage car club has a show on this weekend so am gunna take the 'ol brown turd and annoy some restorers on Sunday............lol................Andyd     

[Plymouthy Adams]

cheap entry fees for you neck of the woods...down here I think it is a secret organization with the intent to send all their kids to school, buy hunting and fishing license and operate a bait store...we will not mention other vises like liquor and tobacco...

[Mike36]

1 hour ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

cheap entry fees for you neck of the woods...down here I think it is a secret organization with the intent to send all their kids to school, buy hunting and fishing license and operate a bait store...we will not mention other vises like liquor and tobacco...

What??? Liquor is a vice, hic.......I didn't know that. hic

[BobT-47P15]

They charge car entry fees at most shows around here in southwest Missouri.  Like others.....some goes for charity, some for production costs of the show.  $10 to $20 fees are common, with small discount for early registration.  I usually go to two fall shows, one of which is the largest in this part of the country, and have a good time viewing others cars and visiting with folks.  We have a cruise-in here every weekend on the parking lot of various businesses.....no admission fee, music by a DJ at some, sometimes a trophy or two perhaps to a car chosen by an employee of the business simply because they like it.  That's fine.  There are numerous other shows all around our area.....you can attend as many as you wish to and want to pay for.  It's true, like Tim said, you are kinda stuck in a show till they give out trophies.  At the cruises you can come and go at will.  Usually when we take the Plymouth to one of these area events, it is the only 40s or 50s Mopar there.  I did see a blue 1951 or 52 Plymouth business coupe at a cruise in recently.....did not get to visit with the owner so don't know that story yet.  There were a father and son I met a few years ago.....each had a 40 or 41 Plymouth coupe, one pretty stock, the other a bit of a hot rod.....kind of a cool deal.  I think they are still around here somewhere.

 

I don't know how this group of pages ended up here, but I can't figure out how to get it out......so please just ignore it.      

   

Edited September 15, 2017 by BobT-47P15

[Redmond49]

We ask for a free will donation at our annual club show, but most shows charge $25 US in the Seattle area and are meant to raise money for charity. I was at the Edmonds, WA show last weekend and was happy to pay - it's true that without the cars there is no show, but without the planning and venue, there is no show either. They actually mailed the window cards and info to you after online registration, it was well run. They had the entire downtown cordoned off, speakers on roofs and on lifts throughout the show area, vendors, judging and awards. It seemed like a fair fee for a great day spent with other car nuts.

[JIPJOBXX]

Good guy car show represent to me one of the biggest rips oft in the car showing business! I think this year it was almost 40 dollars to show oft your car!  I call them the bad guys car sow!  We have plenty of free shows here where the folks who put on the shows feed us!   I will not pay more than 10 dollars to show oft my car as Ifeel like other folks here's don't-We are the show!  I do enjoy talking to folks about my old  Dodge and always when a young child wants to get in and sit behind that big old  steering wheel of course it yes! I now in my heart that those kids love to pretend that they are driving in another time!  And of course the old milking machine adapted the crowds that  never heard of a cow being milked by a car! Jon

[Mortimer452]

There are a few national traveling shows that usually charge $10 or so for admission for spectators.  Many around here are free (I live in Kansas, USA).  There's an old shopping mall in my town, every single Friday night from roughly 4-8pm they do a free car show in the parking lot.  Bring what you have, sit and hang out, anyone who wants to come look is welcome.  Usually around 50 or so cars, with a different 50 every week.  I go out there once or twice a month.

 

[Young Ed]

most of the ones I frequent are cruise nights more than car shows. No awards come and go as you please. Back to the 50s does cost money but if you pre register it's not too bad. $30 gets the car and 2 people in for the entire weekend. Since it's over $10 I believe to walk in the car admission is a good deal. You can also then pack in your own food and beverages which saves you too. 

[dale]

Back to the 50s has a couple thousand cars Id guess so the charge is reasonable IMO

[Young Ed]

5 minutes ago, dale said:

Back to the 50s has a couple thousand cars Id guess so the charge is reasonable IMO

11K each year getting close to 12K

[desoto1939]

I also have to agree that the cost is getting way to costly.  I would not mid paying the fee but at least have a food vendor and make a deal that we the driver gets a hotdog and a soda. Then the rest can go to the host club.

Another suggestion is to just not give out dash metal placques and stupid give away awards.  Cut the cost to say $10 per car, then have several 50/50 drawings adn the spectators can also get intot he 50/50. The club will make money and then some people go home with some money.  My local club only chages $15 day of show but gives out at the end of the day money based on a raffle ticket that you get when you register your car and the money is $500 and we have three drawings and we have never lost money on our show over 250 antique cars and then we also have the mustang club with their own show on the same grounds.

Rich Hartung.

[DonaldSmith]

Going to the Orphan Car Show in Ypsilanti, MI, tomorrow.  It's put on by the Ypsilanti Auto Museum, a former Hudson dealership.  My DeSoto is an orphan, as are Plymouths, and branded Imperials.  Chrysler imperials are not considered orphans.  Chevrolet Corvairs are allowed, because they were made in Ypsilanti.    Longstanding orphans are Hudsons,
Studebakers, Nashes and Packards.   Recently orphaned brands such Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs have to be at least 20 years old.  Great show, and I'll hang out with the DeSoto people.   Fees go to the non-profit museum. 

[chopt50wgn]

Many of my car buddies here in the Philadelphia area have the same talk. A lot of the shows have upped their entry fee from 7$ pre=register to 10 or even 15  and day of show can be 15 to 20. We have also seen that many of the shows are judged which means they hand out trophies or plaques. I have talked with some of these show promoters and have told them if they get rid of the trophies and charge say 5-7$ , they would get many more cars to show up. We also know that the money does go to charitable causes whether it be a 5$ donation or 20$ but if they would not have to buy trophies or plaques and just make it a cheaper cruise in ,there would be lots more participation. We also tell these car shows that if you look around, the majority of these car owners are retired and live on fixed incomes. I look to see what show I want to go to on a weekend and pick one. I can't afford to pay up to 40$ for two shows just to park my car.

I know some guys in my area that won't go to a show if they can't win a trophy............they built the car for the wrong reason................I go to have fun, take the car out for a cruise and see my car buddies, which I think is the whole reason I built this.

[desoto1939]

4 hours ago, chopt50wgn said:

Many of my car buddies here in the Philadelphia area have the same talk. A lot of the shows have upped their entry fee from 7$ pre=register to 10 or even 15  and day of show can be 15 to 20. We have also seen that many of the shows are judged which means they hand out trophies or plaques. I have talked with some of these show promoters and have told them if they get rid of the trophies and charge say 5-7$ , they would get many more cars to show up. We also know that the money does go to charitable causes whether it be a 5$ donation or 20$ but if they would not have to buy trophies or plaques and just make it a cheaper cruise in ,there would be lots more participation. We also tell these car shows that if you look around, the majority of these car owners are retired and live on fixed incomes. I look to see what show I want to go to on a weekend and pick one. I can't afford to pay up to 40$ for two shows just to park my car.

I know some guys in my area that won't go to a show if they can't win a trophy............they built the car for the wrong reason................I go to have fun, take the car out for a cruise and see my car buddies, which I think is the whole reason I built this.

I feel that same as chopt50wgn.  we do have one major show call the Das Achfest in Mungie PA. They charge the owners but it is a great show along with entertainment in a park and crafts for the ladies and they give out great gifts at the end of each day. It cost around $15.  Walkins also payto get into the show so I do not feel bad about the cost. It isa 3 day show with each day being the same cost. They have between 1000 cars in the show.

Chopt50wgn: call me sometime to see if we might get together at a local show. I live down here in Audubon, PA  Rich Hartung    desoto1939@aol.com

[captden29]

my club had a cruise in last night. the trophies[6] are provided by the business where the cruise takes place. they also judge. we bring the music,50/50 equipment, PA system, and we do the parking. no charge to anyone. ours is small, usually 40 cars or so. good time for all. the club makes no money, but when we do we are a non-profit, so it goes to various charities. the people who own these cars can easily afford to pay 20 or 25$ to enter other shows.    capt den

[White Spyder]

Most of the shows around here charge $25 to enter,  90%  are some type of fundraising event.  All have awards that are typically voted on by the entrants. Cruise in's are no charge and are just a gathering of like minded folks. 

My club puts on one formal show or year. It has grown to over 500 entries with about 20k people viewing. They get to enter for free. We have food vendors and product vendors of all types that purchase booth space. We do charge $25 per car. Proceeds go to two small local charities and over years we have donated over 10k each year. 

We have had many discussions about awards and how many to give in an effort to attract more attendees. Even surveyed entrants. What we found was that we need to have multiple categories. I.E. Best MOPAR, best Chevy, best Ford by pre-war, post-war and modern muscle, trucks etc. 

 

Cruising the Coast draws over 8,000 registered cars and charges $90 for the week long event that has 5 venues with live music. Attendance grows every year. If you haven't been it should be on your bucket list. Bottom line is people pay to enter their cars in shows and as long as they keep showing up ......

Now, if you want to talk about crazy entrance fees, don't get me started on the likes of Barrett-Jackson and Mecum charging to enter to bid on vehicals they are getting paid to sell!  My son works in the auction business specializing in antique tractors and they do not charge bidders to enter the auction grounds.