all funds come out of our pocket. we put it in the budget every year. its held on our property. we're already insured, the city doesn't charge us permit fees. we have restrooms on site. all of our workforce is volunteer. our bands help in the charity effort by playing for lunch and gas money. we supply breakfast and our supporting vendors provide lunch at cost to the participants (which we cover). all raffle items are donations. 100% of what comes in goes directly to charity. we have the infrastructure and finances to pull it off, but we still hafta put in the legwork to get sponsors and all that. we provide free booth space to vendors who sponsor the raffle so that they can get exposure in the community. we have oreilly auto parts on board as our major sponsor and they bring out the goodie wagon and a DJ and all that, as well as supply the 3 big trophies. I hand paint the rest of them on blank skateboard decks that i get for about 8 bucks a piece. we use the 2 local city cable channels for advertisement which costs us nothing. we are invited to the televised city council meetings to announce and invite the community. the city cable channel comes out and does event coverage. we get the event in all of the local newspapers at no cost. the main costs for us are the flyers (and by the way thanks to LONG ROOF LARRY here on the HAMB for donating the artwork for the flyers) and the banners (our sign guy hooks us up on the cost because i got him a big contract a number of years ago). all that said, we are in a good place to be able to do what we do. not every body can, but i think that a group of guys with a little creativity and the willingness to knock on doors could pull something like this together. next year is going to be a little more of a challenge because we simply wont fit on our property any longer. however, i've already been approached by the city about holding it on a city owned property like a park because they want to partner with us in stuff like this. Eventually we plan on closing the boulevard down for a stretch and holding the event right on the street.
My club puts on a free show every year at Johnny Carson Park. Great park, great day and absolutely FREE June 10th this year. All cars are welcome. And its free. We also put on a big show at Santa Anita every year and its $25 Point being, my personal, not the club is if we can do a huge show in a park for free, why are others charging 30 to 45
Like I asked Alteredpilot, HOW are you doing it for free?? His club puts up their own money, gets sponsors, and doesn't have to rent anything because it's on his property. I'm guessing that a show in a park will, at the very least, require permits and whatnot, especially if you reserved enough space for any sizeable show. At least here it would. Being a public space also means some difficulty in controlling crowds and types of cars, so it would be very general - "all cars welcome" - like you said - Hondas to minivans to hot rods. I'm not trying to be contrary. I seriously want to know. Everyone wants a free show, so let's start sharing information on HOW to make that happen.
I've been to the Johnny Carson Park show many times. A great event! Great pancake breakfast too- I think there's a modest charge for that if I recall correctly. Been to the Road Kings show at Santa Anita also. While I like that show- I don't like being trapped in there until after the final race.
You go to the city and get a permit, I do not know the cost but not expensive. You nneed insurance. I have gotten insurance for a neighborhood party of 280 homes the insurance cost 150. We have a band, I do not know the cost but relatively cheap. You rent spaces to vendors. You get donations for raffle prizes, you sell raffle tickets to offset your costs. All club members donate a raffle prize. You sell 50/50 tickets. We get like 400 to 500 cars. The breakfast and lunch costs a few bucks. The vendor cooking does not overcharge. Remember its a free car show not a free eating show. We sell drinks, t shirts. We all work, well most anyway. But many work long hard hours to put this show together year after year. Plus in the end, everything we raise, we donate, EVERYTHING. We al pay dues, we all pay for our meals. No one shows up with a Honda and if they do, its all for a good time. We have members at the entrances guiding the cars in to spots that we marked off the night before. It takes work but its a great day. Even though it is hard work, we all have a great time and laugh and enjoy the day. I usually help out in the raffle booth
Insurance at Torque Fest is $4K Bands are $6K we are at $10K with 2 items....... artwork for our event is not free..... everyone loves to collect the way cool promo items that we distribute but those are at least a nickel a piece. We distributed 36,000 of them last year............... Hotels for guests, facility rental, emt, fire/rescue, sheriffs, port a potties, ads in local/regional/national magazines, vintage racers do NOT show up for free, I am sure there is more I am forgetting. I guess it depends on what you are after. If you want a cruise in - there are plenty - around here even the cruise in's charge $2. They do a 50/50 with that but they sometimes give away $2-3000-which is amazing.....but they are getting the place for free and there are none of the major costs that are listed above. Insurance for a cruise in can be as low as $300-$400 A cruise in typically allows anyone to show up. When shows start to exclude other cars......... well - that limits the amount of $$$ that can come into the gate. This is what HAMB members want right? a show that focuses on JUST cars that are pre '65? If that is the case then it is important for guys to support shows like the Symco Shakedown, The Road Block, Cheaterama, Greaserama, Milltown, etc. If these events cant break even - then what is the point? Personally I can tell you we have lost money for the past 2 years and we are trying to figure out a way to make the event stay in the black without gouging people........ This year we will try to give an olive branch to the actual car owners. They do NOT get charged extra for bringing their cars. This is the complaint I hear all around the country - "They wouldn't have a car show if we didn't bring our car" You are absolutely right. Please bring yourself....... and if possible please bring your car. We have tried to come up with a different price structure than other shows and we will see if it works. $10 for a weekend pass seems like a bargain when you compare to other events. (My mother in law just paid $8 for a quilt show - she was in and outta there in 25 minutes....some of these swap meets [which are now flea markets] are charging $10 to get in the gate - you are paying THEM to go buy stuff and the vendors that are setting up in the flea market have to pay as well.....) We live in a capitalist society and it is up to us to pick and choose what events to support. I choose to support the little guy - shows that are put on by guys like me who love this stuff and are willing to put all this stuff in place. Most people don't realize all the time and energy that go into doing something like this. Many, many people have come to me and asked to help put on their shows......I simply do not have time. I encourage them and tell them to just do it - but many are scared that they will lose money......I tell them they will. But if you are doing this for a good reason - hopefully in the end there will be light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully you can make a difference in other peoples lives. This is our ultimate goal. www.helpinghannahsheart.org if you are interested...... Support your local shows. They can't do it without your support. And when they dry up/go away - people complain about them not being around anymore. Thanks to Hellfish for being a voice of reason on this thread - many may not know he is one of the main guys that put in the THOUSANDS of hours - that is not a mistake - yes - THOUSANDS of hours doing the Hunnert Car Pile Up. How many of you have done something like that? What did Hellfish get out of it? A pat on the back........ He has given us more information than we ask for in an attempt to make sure we make no mistakes - and we TRY to follow advice that is given by all the pioneers that have come before. Hellfish is truly invovled in this scene and wants other shows to keep going - that is what he gets out of it - he gets to see what the HCPU gave birth to..... We appreciate all the help that he and the Chrome Czars have given - as well as so many other car clubs like Los Punk Rods, The Cheaters, Oliver Built Group, Tin Butchers, TIn Militia, Coronados,....the list goes on and on - but that is the point. There are SO many people that want these things to succeed. For the guys that refuse to support them because they refuse to pay to get in........ well.... This hobby is small in the grand scheme of things and it gets smaller everyday as the boomers are dropping around us. In order to keep this stuff going we have to support these events and we have to get the youth involved - otherwise we will just see this community fade away. Enough rambling..... I have to go call the City Council of Maquoketa about new and exciting permits.
Thanks for the details Jcapp and Coolstuff. This will help people see what it takes to put on a show, why it costs what it does, and what you can do for free. Thanks for the pat on the back, John. FWIW, the insurance for the Pileup (600-1000 cars, 13-15,000 people) was $1000 in a small town. We were less than VTF because a) it was a 1 day show, b) we didn't allow anyone or anything on the track, c) we weren't selling liquor (although vendors were), d) we hired ($$) local police for security, and e) we had a history of no problems. If we did it closer to Chicago it would be a LOT more. Fairground rental in Morris and Decatur was around $5000... plus security, signs, advertising, cleanup, portapotties, shirts for vounteers, etc. It all adds up. We always tried to pay our bands a decent wage. Some of us are musicians and understand the importance of supporting artists. Under $200 for a band is insulting. Thankfully CoolStuff is towing that line with VTF and II. Quality costs money. That's why you pay to get in.
Our Pair A Dice Cruiser show was $10 per car / spectators free. Site was free in the last years and we about broke even with expenses. This year we are not putting on a show instead we are cruising more. At 63 I'm one of the young members and it was getting to much work.
I don't understand why most shows charge show cars and not spectators. Why do the spectators come to the show? Isn't it to see cars? The show car people are making your show better by coming but yet you charge them? Makes no sense to me. More cars at Free admission equals better quality show. Better quality show equals more people want to come and the value is there to be able to charge, is it not? Symco Shakedown has no charge for any car to come in and never will. At 250 cars, that means revenue was down last year as compared to the previous year when we charged an additional $10 per car....but we had 800 more people come. Hmm, more cars come which draws in more people. Which is better? Makes sense to me to not charge anything extra for show cars. Spectators are ONLY $10 for the weekend and we had over $12,000 in entertainment last year, around 30 hours of music total on all stages. But yet some complain. But yet Lots of folks will pay $10 to get into a bar to see a $400 band play for 3 hours. Hellfish is right, having a round number like $20 or $10 is the only way you can make it work at the gate of a large show. I am going to be forced to raise the gate at Symco sometime in the next few years. The expenses are huge and as the show grows, costs are going up a LOT. I can not afford to put on a show at a loss. My expenses, including T-shirts, insurance, ground rental, advertising, security, volunteer shirts, and everything else that went into it cost OVER $30,000 for a two day show on only its third year. Do the math, that means over 3,000 people just to break even. I have no patience for anyone who can't pay $10 to get into a show such as ours. I have run into a few over the last few years who complain about it. I am not very pleasant with them. Oh yeah, if you don't like paying the $10 then volunteer for a few hours and our show and we give you FREE admission! I urge anyone who wants to go to a good show but not pay to start your own and see how it really works in reality.
The Hunnert Car PIleup NEVER gave away trophies and we did just fine. No one ever complained about the lack of trophies either. No snobbery. No pressure. Everyone had a good time.
we do awards... well just to do it... just for cool cars.. most folks are cool about it.... there all cool... but? well? i dont know why i do it?
CHEATERAMA AUGUST 25TH (13th Annual) FREE TO Spectators $5 Lousy bucks to park your dank ass whip FREE Pabst Beer.. all you care to enjoy...Thats whats up! Its about the machines & homies, hanging with old ones, meeting new ones. Good times, great oldies. Most of these "small traditional shows" were created to get away from the big Good Guys style of weekend event, but as the "tradational show" becomes more popular they become bigger, longer, less about the cars, more about the sideshows, they risk the chance of becoming what we wanted to get away from. I do understand that In the end, as long as you have a rad time & the cars & people are cool who cares. This is JUST my opinion. Its a fine line. Sincerely, Cheatercarl
Our show also gives awards that a few guys... CheaterRome and Dan, make. We don't have pin-up contests, though there are plenty of beautiful girls there. We don't have burnout contests or anyother goofy shit. We have put this show on for 13 years and don't plan on changing a thing. Remember why you got into this traditional car scene. The cars and the people who like the cars, that's it! Love us or love us, the Cheaters will stay true to why we started our club. Those who know us and support us will tell you that we run one of the best traditional show around. Come check out the show this Saturday, grab a free Pabst, and look at cars for free. You will see why people never miss it. CheaterJack
Over 1,000 cool cars and 80,000 spectators will roll into the heart of Springfield's historic downtown this September for a weekend of family fun in the sun and non-stop live music and entertainment! Come celebrate the golden age of Route 66...the cars, the music, the food, the friends......all brought together along Illinois' Route 66. Friday, September 21st - Sunday, September 23rd, 2012 GENERAL PUBLIC HOURS: Sept 21 ..... 6pm - 10pm Sept 22 ..... 11am - 10pm Sept 23 ..... 11am - 2pm WHERE: Downtown Springfield, IL Between Washington & Capitol and 4th & 7th St. www.Route66Fest.com 1‐866‐RTE‐66IL (1‐866783‐6645) TICKETS: Admission is FREE to all spectators. TO ENTER: Pre‐register at www.Route66Fest.com or by calling 1‐866‐RTE‐66IL (1‐866783‐6645) through Monday, September 17th for $35 plus a $3 handling fee. Registration includes weekend admission for the vehicle. Register on site for $50 beginning on Thursday Sept. 20th 2:00 pm 7:00 pm. All years, makes and models are accepted. Free T‐shirt with entry!
I just finished reading this thread and feel I need to say just a few things. I feel lucky I made the "Hunnert" once. The last year in Morris, damn, was I blown away by the shear amount of kickass rides inside and out. The "Jalopy Showdown", closer to home, is an awesome place to see the 'real-deal' hotrods. Both were & are worth the price of admission in my opinion. I am the current president of The Drifters CC in Pittsburgh, Pa. We put on a show at a local drive-in that has been growing bigger every year for about the last seven or eight. If you show up with your hotrod, preferably pre-65, you and everyone you stuff in your car, get in for $10 bucks. (spectators $5 a head) This money gets you a show that sports a few great bands, a way cool car show, pin-up contest, flamethrower contest AND includes a movie on the "big screen"! A deal that just can't be beat! I have not heard many (if any) complaints from folks in the seven years I've been involved. Please checkout our past & upcoming shows,this year co- sponsored by The SacredPistonCC (soon) by searching SteeltownShakedown on line or on F/B. Checkout past shows at www.DriftersCC.com Now after my babble and cheap shot promotion I have to say "car folks" just have more fun than "normal" people, no matter how much or how little money we spend on our cars and shows.
Been in 60+ Concours and have never paid a dime. The cars are the draw. The spectators should be paying, IMO.
$25-$30 is pretty typical all around the south. and as far as trophies.....screw em'. I go to talk hot rods and hang out with other like minded gearheads....NOT to polish on my car and worry about what "classes" they have...so dumb. If you think about the entry fee versus the entertainment value....there is no better deal anywhere. Even shows like the hot rod reunion in Bowling green. Ya,its $65.00 but you have $100,000 worth of fun....I have never complained about an entry fee having put on shows myself i know how much money and time are involved.
Just to add one more thing. Its been my experience that when a show is really cheap or free entry fee it turns people off and they dont usually have a good turn out. Its weird but folks assum "well if theres no entry fee its gonna be an unorganized mess" and alot of the time thats the truth.
The average person is not gonna pay to look at "abunch of old cars" they simply just dont get it. If we dont get them in for there kids to get interested in cars then the future of hot rodding in non-existent. Your typical family is not gonna pay money to walk around and look at cars unless there is some othere big draw with it (drag racing,bands,tons of vendors, etc; Somebod has to keep the youth involved.
Man, I wish I was a member of your club - not only for what you do but because you have the coolest club name in the world! Our club, the Tampa Knights, puts on one free show a year called the Hot Dog Bash where we reserve space in a public park and donate all the soft drinks, hot dogs, beans, chips, deserts, etc. to local rodders. The reason we do it is just to thank folks for being car people, for their participation in ALL local events, for being good sports and getting their cars out and about. We do ask for donations to support a local charity (which changes ever two years) and our side of the 50/50 gross is also put in the charity pot. It doesn't cost us much, no more than $1000 tops for the food, flyers and door prizes (donated by members), and there are no other fees or expenses. It only draws 100-120 cars but the setting is beautiful. How hard can it be? Relatively easy, because none of us are trying to be show promoters (ie make a living doing shows), fill big venues, draw 1000+ cars, have large swap and vendor areas, sell T-shirts, have dash plaques, key chains and beer mugs in a goodie bag, sell memberships or create mags / zines for sale or subscription. Nor are we trying to "put our names on the map" for a big yearly show. Other than for very big shows, I doubt you'd get many spectators to pay to attend, so it's understandable that the promoter / host should charge a little. But no more than 20 bucks, IMHO. And if I pre-register and it rains or I can't make it, I'd sure appreciate a T-shirt (if the promoter / club had them made) in the mail as some sort of compensation for my 20 bucks. What are you going to do with all those dated shirts, anyway? Gary
Sounds alot like cicle track racing. The people with cars pay the most. I totally agree with getting kids involved for free. I went to a show in North FL once, entry was an unopened toy for kids near Christmas. There were no classes, and they gave out trophies while the band was playing. I went to see if i won a trouphie and didn't. I did notice some of the big names, that were called and invited to bring multiple cars, had to get help to carry their trouphies back to their cars. No problem, but i over heard the promoter bragging about how many toys were collected. For a good cause, no doubt. I just feel like the cost could be kept down, if the donations, especially cash, were kept to a minimum. Anybody with extra cash, can donate at any time.
The Jalopy Journal
