Car Shows and The Cost To Enter

Hi Everyboy,
Not counting the big National 3-4 day events, (GoodGuys is collecting about $65.00 this year for no members) I see the price to enter small and large 1 day car shows going up as fast as the price of a gallon of gas!

I belong to a couple of car clubs, the Yesteryear and the Olympia Street Rod Assoc. here in Washington and each one of our annual shows that we put on the entry fee is still only $10.00 and we usually draw around 200-400+ cars at each event with lots of goodies for all the cars that enter the show.

I've gone to a couple of shows this year and $15 to $20.00+ at the gate seems to be the "gold standard" now days.

Just wondering what you guys/gals thought and what price you pay to get into shows in your area.
Larry M.

I haven't been to a car show since we move here to TN, but it's getting bad. If they charge to much, cars will stop going and then what do they have? Part sponsors and food booth shows? Aren't those called swap meets?
They need to stop and think about.

Pat

It all depends. If it is for a good charity, I don't mind the prices, but for a regular show it does sort of make me wonder. Normal price around here seems to be $ 20-$25. There are still some that are free, and the cruise ins are generally at no cost too.

Going to shows has kind of worn thin for me, especially the ones that start at 9 am and go to 5 or 6 pm. I can't see anything entertaining about sitting on a lawn chair for 6-8 hours in the hot sun. If the show is tied in with some other attractions, like Daytona Turkey Run or Billetproof at Garlits Museum, that is a different story. But parking lot shows and I are about to part ways.

Don

I just went to a car show today. Entry fee was free, drinks were free, breakfast burritos free, lunch free, hundreds of give a ways free, over 100 plaques and trophies given out, and the best everyone entered was eligible for double roll away Crafstman tool box.

There also was a silent auction, a model car show a model building and coloring contests for the kids.

Donations are accepted but given to a different non-profit organization every year. Collected over $3000 this year.

This was their 6th year and by far my favorite. Too bad they all can't be like that!

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Originally Posted by HemiTCoupe

I haven't been to a car show since we move here to TN, but it's getting bad. If they charge to much, cars will stop going and then what do they have? Part sponsors and food booth shows? Aren't those called swap meets?
They need to stop and think about.
Pat

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I hope it doesn't come to that!!
I just won't go to any small show that want over $20.00.
Larry M

dmw56, I like that kind of show!! :)


Itoldyouso, most of the shows we go to are for good charities too except one last year where we found out a week after the show that less than 50% went to the charity.:mad:


Evolvo, I understand where you are coming from, I guess I just hate to see the price go up kinda like whats said in your 2nd paragraph.:)
I sure wanted to go to that show your going to but we have one down here that same day, maybe next year.

Now I've been to some shows in the past that collected FOOD or CASH which I'd rather give food because I know its all going to the cause.

Thanks for responding.
Larry M.

I am going to a car show friday night. the entrance is free. all of the food and extras benefit the local fire departments. free dj and swap meet. my kind of show. with the price of gas going up again and i only get 8 miles to the gallon all of my entrance fees would have to used in my tank to get there.

Having been in on the planning and setting up some smaller (less then 200) car shows, there's a lot of expense involved. Printing costs, music, food, some inside space for people to cool off on the hot days, and a bunch of other stuff. Not involved for the last 4 or 5 years, but the cost for our fall club show was around $2500.00 up front....a small club or organization has to charge entry fees just to break even....

I just wish they would charge entry fees for the people that like to come and look and get icecream and carmel corn and finger prints an cigarette smoke and snot and................

I'm done with greedy guys events... I tried to enter the Rambler last year in the East Coast Nationals, and in order to register, you have to be a member.. it was going to cost me like $70 to enter it as I had to register as a goodguys member, and there was an extra fee for somthing else.. I asked the girl if there was any way I could cancel membership afterwards and she said no.. I then asked if Goodguys entry fee's supported any charaties, she said no, it paid for the show and support staff, I then said if it supported a charity I would enter, thanked her for her time and hung up... figuring the $30 entry fee, and the advertised 2,000 cars that's $60,000 in car registration.. then figure the $17 for spectators at 10,000 ( low number ) that's $170,000 which ends up as $230,000 + likely 10% of all food sales.. they probably pull in $300,000 per show easy..

I go to the Right coast cars shows. speciffically the S-nats.. $35 non member entry, bigger, better show. and they do have events in the show to support charities... and of course the local show that brings about 200 cars.. $6 car entry, and it supports NCOC which is the vocational school I took automotive at

Back in Mn we went every Friday night to N St Paul, it was free, they shut down main street, and would have live bands and several food venders . We would eat supper while walking the street and looking at all the cars, plus all the cars constantly driving thru till dark. It was always packed with more cars than parking, and there is alot of parking spots and parking lots, just that many show up for it! A Great Time!!! ;)
We stopped going to the indoor car show at the civic center, just to look at a hand full of cars, you had to pay about $15.00 each and $25.00 to park and had to hassle with down town traffic. :mad: Or you could put a nice, or a piece of crap model in the contest, and get only one of you in free each day!

Pat

bigdude has the right idea !! I just wish they would charge entry fees for the people that like to come and look and get icecream and carmel corn and finger prints an cigarette smoke and snot and................
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but our show is still 12.00 usd !!!!!!!! :) for pre entries

To a point I don't mind the fees - but as Matt said, Good Guys has gotten ridiculous at Rhinebeck at least. They want your $40 a year plus do send you a nice big monthly paper, but not much else. A spectator - $17 this year. The Rhinebeck show really IMHO, just is not that good. I think that they add the large number of cars in the For Sale lot to the number of cars the claim. And yes, there are some OK GG shows, but at Rhinebeck, there really are few places reasonably price to stay nor are there enough restaurants - on site food - junk. Oh yeah, Rhinebeck is this weekend - and I'm headed North with our camper at Lake Champlain!!!

Syracuse Right Coast Show in July is $12 advance sale and $17 at the event - and there are 6000+ cars there spread over the entire NY State fairgrounds. Guess which one I'm going too!!

Local shows - the most fun is one at a skating rink - 1000+/- cars, and it's free for spectators or to enter your car, a can of food for charity.

Other shows are still reasonable in the $5 to $10 range to enter a car, and spectators, ~$5

The reason I used to kind of like Rhienbeck was because it was the last show of the year, and had lower temps.. if it's in the hot months, that shows just not worth it, even if the prices were fair..

Syracuse, altho hotter.. theres more cars, more to do.. having a vehicle in the show makes it really nice.. drive right to the stands and park saturday night for the event.. I'll be there too

When is Guptills this year? I'd like to take the Chevy if it's done in time

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Originally Posted by Matt167

When is Guptills this year? I'd like to take the Chevy if it's done in time

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Matt - you missed the first one on June 8, the next will be July 13, Aug 10 then Sept 14

cool.. I'll probably make August or sept with the Chevy

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Originally Posted by Matt167

cool.. I'll probably make August or sept with the Chevy

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Make sure you give me a shout - maybe we can see what we look like:LOL::LOL: and MAYBE by August my car MIGHT be there:LOL:

In the MPLS/St. Paul area there are a few car events that are free or low cost.

As mentioned earlier, In North St. Paul on Friday nights they host a free car show for anyone that has a 1980 or older vehicle. Everyone parks on the blocked off main strip and enjoys looking at cars, eat food, etc.

Also on Friday evenings in St. Francis they host a free car show for the same vehicle ages. They hand out trophies and some of them are shop made and unique. It's a good show for a lot of the same reasons as North St. Paul.

On Sat. Evenings, Anoka has a show that is growing every week that has been hosting over 1,500 cars. No entry fee for Anoka residents or $3.00 for non residents. On all of these three shows spectators are free to wander around.

There are other shows and cruises that are free and usually a very good time too.

I do find it interesting that at some of the car shows that have trophies and such, some of the local car clubs come out as a group and vote for each others cars. I have a garage full of trophys so it doesn't bother me too much but kind of frustrating to some when groups feel the need to "organize Wins" for themselves. In this case, I'd RATHER go to car shows that don't have trophies so that it becomes just more fun in showing cars.
Jerome

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Originally Posted by IC2

Make sure you give me a shout - maybe we can see what we look like:LOL::LOL: and MAYBE by August my car MIGHT be there:LOL:

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cool, will do

Most of the small shows we attend charge between $10 and $15. The local big monthly show is free, with the exception of the $1 for security. That's the job I want...security. Way I figure it, that guy should be getting about $800 for 6 hours work once a month.:LOL::LOL: That's assuming that he actually gets the money instead of the host club.:LOL:

I usually will not pay a pre-registration fee, because too many time I end up not being able to go. And I won't pay $20 for a small show unless the charity is top notch.

As far as the big events, one of the best for your buck is still the Frog Follies. Three day event, $15, and still pre-49 only.Oh, and the price also includes a tee shirt. :eek: This is a great one if you can get out to Evansville, IN.:D

jyardgirl, I like those shows also, free is good!!:) We usually attend 10 to 15 car shows a year so cost is a factor,,,, the GoodGuys is an exception tho.

Dave, you are right about the cost for putting on a show, one of the clubs I belong to the show is totally supported by donations so there is no cost to the club and all the proceeds go to a local charity here in town. The other club pays for everything and turn away donations so the cost of putting on a show is in the neihborhood of $2,500 up front.

I like the GoodGuys car show they have here in Puyallup, Wa. since its one of the largest shows in the state but the cost is quite high. It costs me about $170.00 for the 4 days, the 3 day show, RV space rent, the drags on Friday night plus renewing my membership.

Larry M.

Last year I went to the redneck rumble in Nashville, Tn (actually Lebanon, tn). I brought my G/F and her 3 boys. I didnt have a rod on the road so we just went for the day to check out the cars. They wanted $10 per person just to walk around the parking lot and look at the cars....:eek:..Now I guess this is the average price, but damn, 50 bucks just to walk in the hot sun in a parking lot to look at the cars.....Oddly enough, in the same fairgrounds adjoining the rumble was a huge MOPAR show.....It was FREE!! So we go to it instead.......BUT.......once in the MOPAR show, we noticed people were simply walking into the Redneck Rumble for free......So we did the same.....When I confessed this on the other car forum (that kinda hosts the rumble) I was promptly put in my place.....rightfully so I guess, but what the hell, I saved 50 bucks and spent it in the swap meet anyway, so it all came out in the wash!!.......:D:LOL::LOL::D