Tedd Thompson

This all started about a month ago when I drove my car to the Forest Ranch Post Office, the local Lions Club had a booth out front and were promoting a charity breakfast for the up coming Saturday which I couldn't make but I dropped a tenner in their box to help out( it's a very small town). As five or six people wandered around my car a question or two came up about show cars and how much money we made from showing our cars. When I explained that this isn't a money maker for the car guys we do it for the love of the hobby and pay to attend but the promoters do OK. Suddenly the Lions club guys became interested in how this promotion work (they know nothing about putting on a car show) but are looking for new and different ways to make a buck for the club. The same O same O promotions are getting stale and no new blood is there to get something different going

Long story short version they asked if I would help them put on the first annual Forest Ranch car and bike show and I agreed within reason. As I'm not in the Lions club or any other club for that matter (for many reasons) but it's a struggling community and hopefully I can get them started on the right foot. You only get one chance to screw up your first show and it will cease to be a annual event.

I have yet to meet with the main powers to be but it has been put up to a comity (what ever that is) and it has support there. I'm sure they will wan't some kind of estimate of their costs and expatiation of profits and such which is a bit hard considering this is a first time never been done before affair but I feel we (I) can make the club a buck and hopefully make this a growing affair for next year or maybe I'll be band from town and run out on a rail, time will tell. I keep you posted as this adventure matures or dies a slow death...... Tedd

RetroRanger

good luck Tedd

my small town did a one off car show at the 250th anniversary of the town, there were maybe 75 cars tops. I think it worked out because it was held in conjunction w other events a parade later in the day and something else maybe a 5k run, there was no charge to get in and the biggest money maker appeared to be the food concession.

SO between the other events and food i think they did all right.

A local club runs a cruise in on friday nights here, they have there own land and a large grassy area to park cars, they have the biggest cruise in around (others struggle to get 20 cars but they get 100-150. They serve grilled burgers etc and adult beverages.

hope it works out for you

RROLDSX

Are you a member or can reach out to a couple of local car clubs? They usually love to help out as long as the date doesn't clash with a show of theirs. Hot dogs and Tee shirts are money makers. Don't forget the 50/50 too. Great thing to do Ted. I judge for a prostrate cancer event every year. Early detection boys.... get that "digital" test done, it could save your life.

oldcutlass

We have a promoter here that does fairly well with a simple concept. They charge a $15 entry for car owners, no restrictions for years, with spectators free. You need some registration sheets to track names and registration numbers and a sheet to tape to the windshield with the entry number, a description of the car with owners name. In addition you need a legal disclaimer that states the show is not responsible for any damage. About 45 trophies with no real classes, basically a small square sheet of paper with 9 car choices and 1 bike. The car owners vote for their choices for winners on the paper. The promoter tallies the votes and the one with the most votes gets best of show. You can have a Lions Club choice, a Ladies choice, or how ever you want as specialty trophies. In addition you need a DJ with whatever music of choice. Possibly drink and food vendors and some restroom access or port a pottys. We have a few area shows that also provide space for arts and crafts and other types of vendors to sell their wares.

They also have a couple of rolls of raffle type tickets they sell for .50 each as a 50/50 pot for the show participants. Most winners usually donate their winnings back to the show cause.

All proceeds for their shows to support a childrens shelter and Xmas toy drive for underprivileged kids.

There must be a large are for the show with plenty of parking for spectators. At the end you need a small group to help pickup trash.

You can promote the show on internet sites that list area shows, examples below. Look at the examples of the show fliers in some of the listings.
http://www.motortexas.com/events/
http://www.oldride.com/events/texas.html
http://hotrodhappenings.com/

VI Cutty

We do entry by donation for spectators, cash or non-perishable food item for the local food bank. It's amazing how generous people are in such situations and apart from the van load of food boxes we drop off at the end of the day, the cash collected is a significant part of our revenue. We donate the proceeds to local groups and charities.

We also charge for entering a car, of course.

jaunty75

That'll teach you to drive your car to the post office!

LondonCutlass

Hi Tedd

It looks like you and me are in the same boat. I'm on the town council fund raising committee for the mayors charity and I put up the suggestion of a large classic car show to raise cash for two hospices. One thing leads to another and this thing has snowballed into a assive event expecting between six and seven hundred cars and around 5000 spectators, we are involving local primary schools as well, with competitions etc.
Don't forget to have some kind of entertainment for the kids as it encourages more families to attend, also, stalls with stuff to do with cars can generate a lot of cash.

Most of all, don't let it stress you out, its supposed to be fun.

Tedd Thompson

Well guys thanks for the ideas... but unfortunately I'm still waiting for the phone call from the powers that be. I don't think they know how much time and organization is required to put on something like this and still be successful or they just lost interest. Ether way it would be nice to get a phone call...I'll keep you posted. I'm a little worried that all of a sudden they will drop this task on me at the last minute and a fiascoes will occur..... Tedd

Jamesbo

FWIW alot of them require a fire extinguisher place next to the drivers side rear wheel Just in case

oldcutlass

I've only been with one group of car enthusiasts that do the fire extinguisher requirement and that's OCA/ NTOC here in Texas.

CRUZN 66

Fire extinguishers are not required/mandatory at local shows in this area... Although, it doesn't hurt to carry one with you as a precaution... In fact I do carry one in my 66 and 85 at all times...

Tedd Thompson

Quite a few of the points type shows require a fire extinguisher, sometimes placed in front of the drivers tire some at the rear (depends on the rules of the show) but you will lose points for sure if you forget and leave it in the trunk or at home. It's just a game and it's their rules, I can swing both ways... Tedd

Olds64

Tedd, that's cool that you may be able to help organize a car show. Hopefully they contact you soon. It would be a bummer if they expect you to do everything at the last minute.

FWIW, I've never entered my 71 98 in an "official" car show. I drive to the cruise in once a month, but other than that...

71rocket

My wife and I have spearheaded a local show held along with our small towns annual celebration. Three years later and we're done, can't compete with the toilet races.

Koda

Couple thoughts.

The Lions club needs to handle the promo. There's a big difference between giving advice and putting it on. They're putting it on; you're giving advice.

There's two different types of car shows (there's more, but there's two different types of casual car shows.)

The first type is the weekly cruise in. It's around a restaurant, who offers their lot in exchange for more business, or is in a town park or something, done by the town for the same reason. There is no fee, and there is a 50/50 drawing, where it's like 1 buck a ticket, 5 for your arm's length, and 20 for the length of the biggest car you can find (recommend a 50s Chrysler). 50% goes to the winner, the other 50% pays the DJ.

The second type is the annual, during the day, for a cause show. This is the one you want. Have a fee for the car, and this gets you a goody bag with a dash plaque and other sundry junk like a pen. Put your windshield form in there. This entry fee will cover a lot of things, the goody bag as previously mentioned, the door prizes, and the trophies for the winning cars.

For trophies, don't do all sorts of crazy ****. People get butthurt when there's a Best Chevy, or even worse, a Best Camaro, and no best Oldsmobile. Do best car 1, 2, 3, and like best project, or Weirdest Car, and stop there. Best GM, FoMoCo, and Mopar might be doable. Have the Lions guys get the trophies donated.

For door prizes, hand out a bunch of crap and a few good things. Have the Lions guys get Autozone to donate stuff.

Have a 50/50, but make 50 of it go to the cause. Have a DJ, but get the Lions guys to get someone to donate their time. Get a few knowledgeable car guys to donate their time to judge.

The idea is to put on a show, with close to zero expense, and recoup near 100% of the entry fees and the 50/50 as donations to the cause. The first one is hard, because there's no reputation. People have to aggressively promote, to get people there, and to get stuff and time and services donated. This is where the Lions guys will do the work; it's going to take a LOT of promo, and it will flop unless that work is done right and done hard, and they need to understand that before they decide to do it.