shows are starting to cost

I know for The Iron Lords here in NC, we have been planning and doing research on hosting a show for a while now and the cheapest venue we could find locally was $800 a day for a venue that is large enough that the show could grow or just doesnt flat out suck and you had to carry 2 million dollars insurance that cost another couple hundred, plus permits plus you are forced by the county to hire 2 sherrifs dept at $30 and hour for security...

it adds up real quick. Starting out we have to pony up almost 2g's out of pocket.

so there has to be at least 200 cars to show up to even think about breaking even and ideally speaking you would like to make enough to promote and do a show the following year.

now that said though, this is for a real show, not a kmart parking lot get together.

oh and the 2k, thats not even including a band. start factoring in music and it goes up real quick real fast.

so I say hats off to the people and clubs with the balls to make a show happen.

if there are minitrucks and muscle cars when you pull up, save your bread and put it in your tank. you dont have to go in you know

 

I'm not crying about the cost, because honestly, going to a movie or taking the family to a restaurant for dinner costs way more than 15 bucks. I was just curious what it really costs to put some of these things on.

 

The term 'car show' has become so all inclusive and generic that I dread the idea of going to them. That said with the deflated dollar, you have to really choose which event you attend. Do your math and homework before leaving, to maximize your chances of having a all around good time.

 

We have to pay way more than that just for our permit here in NYC! Then toss all of the other stuff onto the fire and we don't break even.

Everyone in our club pays monthly "dues" just to have enough money to put on our show. So when someone complains about $20 entrance fee, I don't want to hear it, since we all paid out of our own pockets to make the show happen.

. . . but we rarely get complaints. The people who come to our show always have a great time, everyone loves to see Hot Rods and Customs in NYC, they know how much effort we put into the show, and are more than happy to help out so that we'll be able to keep putting the show on every year.

I've never known of anyone coming to our show just once. It's getting so big that we're running out of room!

 

My father just got his Carlisle paper work for the Chrysler show. He's got vendor spaces and there's a threatening letter attached warning him he needs a PA sales tax ID. We had gotten an ID with PA several years ago and what a nightmare. They would send a letter every week demanding their money. One show a year in PA and they want money every week!!!

Why do the show participants have to pay when they're the show! I don't mind the donation show with the Lyon's club or local VFW.

 

Only wish I would have thought of the NSRA and Greed Guys before they did. The concept of charging us to enter a car at an event and then charging spectators to look at our cars has earned them bags of money.
The Frog Follies in Evansville, In. the best 3 day rod run in the country. $15 dollars to enter a car which includes a T shirt, a gift thats car related, free dinner Sat night, free donuts & coffee Sun morning. Food extremely reasonable and all proceeds go to charity. When was the last time you bought a hamburger for $2.00?

 

time to start a new social group:

the HAMB Bitch and Moan club.

 

This bitch and moan session comes up about every three to six months...seems it always newbies that start it...and add to it. However, no one bitches about Ryan's Alliance membership costs...nor do they bitch about the cost of the HAMB drags or the price of fuel to get there and waste money racing down the track...

Bottom line...if you don't want to spend your money going to see and be seen - STAY HOME....or start your own rod run/event and actually see how much it costs...

R-

 

Went to ROT Rally this weekend.

$70 entry fee for spectators - just sayin'

 

I went to a GTG a few years ago at the McMinnville Air Museum that was put together by a few guys at another car forum. It only cost $10 admission to the museum where we were able to bring our cars into the hanger and park them next to the Spruce Goose and get photos taken. If we wanted photos taken by the museum staff, it only cost another $10 for an 8X10. We were able to take all the photos we wanted ourselves. After that we went to a local park and had a BYOB BBQ.
So the best thing is to organize something yourself if cost is an issue.

 

I think one of the saddest things I read on here concerning putting on car shows is the insurance factor. I think its a sad testament to our society that we have to have insurance for a social event just because some bed wetting cry baby might sue you if he stubs his toe on a rock while at your event. If people took responsibility for their own actions and inactions we could have a lot more easy fun. If you could put one on without insurance, cops and permits it would be a good time......oh wait, thats a cruise in....nevermind.

 

The Hot Rod Reunion is 20 bucks PER DAY, PER PERSON. Pack a lunch. Gary

 

Personally----"TROPHY'S" are for shooting targets!!

 

Thanks for the good comments Weasel!!---Back in the 70's LAR club would show our roadsters at L.A. Sports arena etc. with the understanding that we could promote our annual LAR Fathers Day event with banners,signs etc. The promoters would always give us a "pass" on the entry fees because of the number of good quality street driven roadsters that showed up for his monetary gain.
And you are correct Weasel, since moving to larger facilities in Pomona(Fairplex), more cars on display equals more money from the paying public to donate every year to Cancer research, Dental chairs,etc.
Of course NONE of this is possible without the continuing participants each year.
Thats why we gladly give an English pewter engraved mug & BBQ to all our open car exhibitors annually to show our appreciation!!!!---Don

 

The Gold Chainers are telling me it takes $20 to put on a parking lot car show. Parking lot shows don't have judging. Gold Chain shows have judging.

 

I'm on a "committee" that does a one day show for charity. It's our 26th year . There are 4 guys in the group,three are car guys but the chairman who's show it is is not and he is always hounding us to raise the cost to the participants. So far we have resisted him and have kept the cost at $10. We feel that if he wants to make more $$ for charity,get more spectators to show up thru advertising and charge them more $.

I have never entered my car in a Goodguys show (not to pick on them ) because of the costs. The Super Chevy shows used to be the same way.

I pay to go to two multi day shows a year and only because I enjoy these shows so much.

I agree Greed has set in and some people are charging way too much.

 

I'm retired and on a fixed income so I really pick and choose the shows I'm willing to pay for. Primer Nationals and Mooneyes Christmas Shows come to mind. The Mooneyes BBQ is free and they even feed you.

 

This ^ sounds like a great show even if they were forced to raise it to 20. It sounds like a family thing with people bringing side dishes and eating together. I have no idea how they do it for 10.

 

Lets all just stop for a minute and picture ourselves in a "happy place".

 

I have been noticing that most of the shows around here, this year, are charging $25 per car to enter the show. Last year it was $20. Add the cost of gas to get there and it starts to get expensive.

 

Our club recently co-hosted the Rock N Rods show at the Nur Temple in New Castle, Delaware. Show went off great, lots of positive comments from guys who brought their cars, spectators, vendors and the bands. I heard the $10 ($5 for spectators) was well worth it for the vendors, music and atmosphere. All the money made went to paying the Nur Shrine Temple to use their space (which then went to charity), to the audio guy to use his PA systems and stage, and to the bands to perform.
I stood out in the 90+ degree heat and humidity for damn near 5 hours parking cars, got burnt to a crisp and didn't get a thing for it, but a sense of accomplishment after making the best out of a bad parking situation and a sincere thanks from the guys in the club for helping out. And you know what? I'll do it again, and as many times as need be.
Any person who organizes one of these things and puts a profit in their pocket is a piece of shit in my book. I can understand covering your expenses, because it isn't cheap to put on a decent sized show, but if you do this to make money, you're not a car guy, you're a fucking leech.

 

Lots of leeches around...every business you buy auto parts from, every grocery store you shop at, every gas station you use to put fuel in your car is a leech...I'd bet your kid's school is a leech too...tell me the difference between putting on a show for money and a business...???

NO ONE forces anyone to go to a show...or buy anything else for that matter...

R-

 

cant speak to parking lots shows... but usually you are not getting charged to SHOW your car... you are getting charged to get in the show.

there is a difference.

at most shows the price of you and a passenger is the same as the two of you walking in the gate. There are some variances to this obviously. I can speak for Billetproof and thats where we try to keep our car registration pricing. Plus you usually get a goodie bag or some such other perks.


Its a very simple equation... if the price you pay to either walk into the show as a spectator or to register your car for the show does not equal the entertainment value you get out of the show... then the show is not for you. If on the other hand you feel as though you get more than your $X worth of fun out of the show.... then go. Very simple.

 

Because most local shows/cruises don't have major/corporate sponsors to cover their costs. I'll agree that $20 is a little steep. If we didn't have these local events do you think we could go to some public facility and park our cars and hangout with friends?

We have a local cruise night thats been around for years, the guy who organizes it (he doesn't make anything off the cruise) charges a one time $3 fee every year to cover liability insurance ( required by the shopping plaza owners ) and there are still some cheap a$$es who will not pay

 

yeah maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!! Running a for profit business is baaaaaaaaaad!!!

Pieces of shit in your book: Every organizer that put on every autorama/motor rama in the history of hot rodding. Wally Parks, Blackie... on and on... congrats.

really?

some people put on pancake breakfasts as charity events, that does not make IHOP evil cuz they make a profit off their business.

normally I dont comment on these sort of bitch sessions... but this one seemed to stick in my craw, not just because it included me, but it disrespects the history of our hobby.

 

WOW.... I can't believe that $20.00 to enter a show will make people stay home rather than go to a show.I never even think about it, there are so many ways I am getting screwed out of my hard earned money all day every day.The last thing I am going to do is start crying about $20.00 to enter a show that someone spent months or a year planning and laying out there money on the gamble that enuf people will show up too at least cover there costs much less make a few $$$$ Maybee they should start charging $25.00 so that all the people that would rather complain about everything stay home.If you can't afford $20.00 this is the wrong hobby to be in considering the cost of gas registration and insurance costs.I live in New York (not cheap) work two jobs and sell on eBay and CL to get by and have money for my hobby so the last thing I am going to do is stay home and bitch about paying to enter a car show.Pay the $20 have a drink and enjoy the show.If you lost the 20 it won't make a difference in your life or skip a few cups of coffee, pass on the trip to Burger King or quit smoking and you will be able to go to a few shows.This hobby is supposed to be FUN!!!!
(now all the whiners can complain about my HAMB name)

 

None of that is even close to the same thing. If you put on a show simply to make money, first off, having seen what it costs, you're a fool. Secondly, you have no business charging people admission to fill your pockets, based on the simple fact that your show relies on the people's cars you charged for admission in the first place. Third, I bet if you TOLD people you put the show on to make money for yourself, nobody would show. Fourth, no vendors or artists are going to show up to line your pockets, either. Lastly, you're damn right, we don't have to attend a show. But we do need to buy goods and services occasionally. This is neither of those. A charity putting on a show to make money for a cause is not the same thing as a guy putting on a show simply for the benefit of his own wallet. Someone putting on an established, esteemed show that has to charge admission due to space limitations, exclusivity, etc, isn't the same thing as some guy making a buck at the expense of the people in attendance. You can twist it all you want, but it's the plain truth.

I don't have kids, but my wife is a teacher. So don't put words in my mouth and don't assume to know my mind. I can tell you all about money and education, and just how fucked up the media has the whole situation. A school provides an invaluable service for all, a car show that charges money so some jagoff can make a buck is bullshit.

 

see above.

Let me further elaborate on the subject by telling the story of the local city-wide cruise night, the Annual Newark (Delaware) Cruise night, that got cancelled because the promoter put it on just to make, and embezzle, money. The town would allow free parking along the main drag, if you were in some sort of specialty or "hobby" car. They allowed unlimited cruising all night, despite their "3 passes in 2 hours = ticket" law. The local restaurants stayed open late, offered discounts for folks with cars, it was a good time for everyone and they figured about a thousand cars showed up, from all around the area. Then this guy figured out he could make a buck off of it. Turns out, he made several thousand bucks off of it. Money that was supposed to go to the bands, artists, vendors and shops who helped promote this thing. So the people who supported this event got the shaft, the guys who supported the show by bringing their cars and patronizing the participating vendors got the finger, the restaurants lose out on all the extra money they made that night in the future, the promoter got the money, and the city said never again.
So yeah, if you're putting on a show just to make a buck for yourself.......

 

I HAVE.

You do a charity show. Thats great.

Everyone that does the same thing for profit is not a piece or shit or a fool or a jaggoff. You really need to start watching the language... that kind of stuff isnt tolerated around here.

Like I said....
some people put on pancake breakfasts as charity events, that does not make IHOP evil cuz they make a profit off their business.
The charity concert does not make the non-charity concert or its promoter "evil".

 

So, can I safely assume you and your wife are independently wealthy and neither of you are "leeching" by accepting a paycheck from an employer...???

Really...??? Explain the difference to me...

I guess the guy that has the "established, esteemed show" and wants to make a "leeching" buck is somehow different than the average Joe...??? Those people that pay to get in to see the "established, esteemed show" are somehow different than those that would pay to get in to see "average Joe's" show...???

Hmmmmmmmm, I certainly don't see the difference...in your words they're both "leeches" and pieces of shit...

I can tell you're a fun guy to hang around with...

R-