Throwing a car show - Do's and Don'ts

Just remember the Pareto Principle. 20% of the people will do 80% of the work. It's never been proved wrong.

 

yeah, were going to run into that here..all other members of our club live 50 miles away from show site...i live 4 miles away!!but, there the talented ones so there doin all the kool stuff. im just hiring band and the like...goin to be fun...

 

Ya know I had no idea the tunes were that bad at shows. I thought maybe I was the only one annoyed by it all so I just never said anything. Always thought "yay.. woopty freakin doo, another 50's tune I've heard a thousand times."

I appreciate the help guys but let me tell you it's only a hair beyond "pipe dream" at this stage. I mean no planning has been done at all. There are a lotta smart and cool cats on here and I really wanted to consult you all first so you can help me make it something awesome.

You guys have helped a lot but by no means am I done taking advice, keep it comin.

 

oh speakin of tunes.. how's live entertainment? I mean the focus is on the cars so the band can't be overwhelming, I've been there done that. But how's a live rockabilly band sound as long as they don't make ears bleed?

If not rockabilly then what? I know someone is going to say "rockabilly sucks" so if you do, be sure to end it with what you DO like.

 

CI..my plan is to have bands in the evening and just my radio on random during the day...
kinda thought i might do a band or 2 fri night if there enough folks coming early..kinda like the hunnert does but outdoors..try to get up to hunnert and we will learn pant loads about how to's and not to's!!dont listen to hellfish when he talks about me doin the donkey show!!!im married...that and it always makes me itch

 

if you have a flyer made up... contact some companies you are interested in getting free stuff from... they usually want you to fax a flyer. Call their 800 number and talk to promotions and they will get you throught the rest. I did this for a guy a few years back and he said he had more stuff than he could possibly imagine.

Or maybe I'm just that damn good.

 

Just be willing to accept that no matter what you do or try to do, someone will bitch or gripe at it not being done correctly. Most of the time the persons bitching have not done one thing to help or to participate in the preparations or clean up, either. They just like to gripe.

Also, remember that clean up is as much a part of it all as preparing for the event itself. Remember that it will get better after each event, and you can learn from each as a seperate thing. What works one year won't the next in all cases. Parking lots fill up more as the events become a regular thing, so prep needs to change each time. More restrooms necessary, more refreshments, etc.

Make it everyone's event instead of just a select few who are doing the prep work.

Good luck, I'd never want the worry, myself. I like to be one of the fellows who get to bitch!
Huey

 

AMEN !!!

 

We've been putting a show on for 9 years. I did the first one by myself and had 25 cars. Last year we had 184. (The biggest was 300.) It helps to have good help. There are a lot of details that make it go smooth that most people never even think of.
We have a burnout contest with cash prizes and cruise that night. The show is on the street down town so the local businesses are more than willing to make donations for trophies and goodie bags. If you do vendors don't go overborad. Talk to local organizations ar school groups.(Helps get the kids invlolved and maybe hooked).

The only down side(for me) is that there aren't that many traditional rods in these parts, so we have classes for everything.

 

Treat your participants with respect, don't come off like they need you,like a local club dose, you need them. It use to be, if you didn't have your money in two weeks after the show you didn't get in, last year they raised it $10.00 there are still openings this year. I'm talking a big show over 2000 cars, next year I wonder?
There too many other shows now days, plus ciuise nights for free.

 

So what if:
No cover
No charge to enter your car
Somewhere around the stage there's a box for donations which is never mentioned so people don't feel pressured.

That take care of the money part of it? I figured it's going to come out of my pocket anyway so if I can make a bit back, awesome. Goes back into the pot for next year. Maybe some cool shit for some custom trophies.

What about charity shows? I mean I could make it into one of those, cover it all, then make the donations go to some local thing like maybe christmas for needy kids or something. That should bring more people and earn some PR as well as make some families happy.

Keep the ideas flowing.

 

did ya get my pm the other day CI???my comp been messin up

im goin with reg. cause of the cost of all the bands and what not..dont think i could do it any other way...custom trophys for sure!!!!im goin to look into charity also but i think ill most likely just do it for the shows stake instead

 

HAhah yeah you crack me up.. thanks again.

My email is Daniel@TheLeadSlingers.com

Lemme know when yours is and I'll do the same, hopefully we can meet up at one or both of em.

 

sounds good home slice!!now im off to bed..wifes finally asleep so maybe i can get a little

 

Allow people to bring their own coolers. It sucks to pay $5.00 for a hot dog or warm cup of beer foam. Rather not go at all.

 

A food vendor is nice, some of the ones here will have like a mens club or Legion chapter do it as their own fundraiser, sometimes the club has the stuff and do it themselves. I usually just bring soda and water and buy food there. One show they even have half-chicken barbecue dinners with salt potatoes and beans, it's expensive at $7 but I still buy one.

Selling spots to flea market vendors will help cover your costs, but like I said keep it cheap if you want a lot of them - 20 vendors at $10 a spot is better than 10 vendors at $20 a spot. One thing I didn't say, you could raffle them off a free spot (or two) for next year's show at like 3:00-4:00 PM (must be present to win), helps keep guys from packing up early if it's slow and gives them a shot at something too.

Have a good PA system if you're going to use one - if the place has speakers all around, then it doesn't need to be super loud, Sunday that was my only complaint at this show - the PA, when it was working, was so loud I couldn't talk to the people I was trying to sell crap to. I was like 2 spots down from a pole with a couple speakers on it.

 

It's just hard to get it all lined out for a first ever yearly shindig.

I don't know what is too much, I guess just plan for ultra huge and take the loss if it's too much.

Okay; DRINKING:

Can I please get a yay or nay from anyone passing by this thread, absolutely everyone. I'm just curious how many feel strongly against it and how many would enjoy it being able to sip a few cold ones with some new friends.

So:

YAY?
NAY?
or BYOB?

 

Man I am all for drinking at a show as long as it is kept under control because if you are planning to have this thing around here then people look at it like a family outing, and it will be, and the churchy types, kids, and everything that goes along with it will be everywhere.

 

YAY, BYOB (Possibly have overpriced beer available for people who just happened to be passing by and didn't plan ahead.)

 

byob is cool but our show is at my bar so id rather you didnt byob!! btt for the CI

 

Unfortuneately in this age of lawyers, once you put your name on an event as an organizer you had better have event insurance.
Event insurance is expensive. I f you are selling beer/food it's even more expensive. Rock bands?...yep, even more expensive (although if you call it rockabilly they don't hit you as hard----and believe me Honky is NOT rockabilly...haha)
BYOB actually gets you out of the "selling" alcohol portion of insurance.
Other than some of the venue's I use, insurance is the single largest expense.

So....my advice is either keep to informal gatherings----ala Shortdog or you have to go big---vendors/sponsers/bigger advertising buget etc... and as KIRK said you have to want to make it something special----I'm happy if I break even on the Live Fast shows but I get to expose people to everything I like in cars/music/art and tattoos and there is growth (ie the potential of a profit down the road)



Marcy

 

very awesome advice marcy!!!! not stealin CI's thunder here but, who do you contact about insurance?? your reg auto/home provider, or is it somewhere else????i dont plan to ever break even, just dont want to break!! good times and good tunes....thats the key in my eye's...

 

Thanks for asking Breeder, I was wondering the same thing.

 

I'm not near my office info but I believe the company is CES out of Dallas Texas---google search "special event insurance" or "concert insurance"----they are THE main broker for events----they shop the policy out to insurers licensed in your state.
Generally the venue and the city want to be named on the insurance policy----each city and venue has their own liability limits---usually one million per incident.
Hopefully your state won't be an expensive one----so far for me California and Texas are the most expensive----the friendly non-sue crazy folks of Iowa were substantially cheaper!



Marcy

 

Breeder, your case may be different if you are using your bar and property----your own insurance may already cover a good portion for you.



Marcy

 

Sounds like we needa have our biggest shows in the state of Iowa!

I'll get in touch with em and get that ball rolling. Thanks for the info Marcy.

 

Hey man, im no expert but we got a little show out here in Mitchell, South Dakota and i'd be happy to help if i can......Ours is called the Outkasts cruise in and hot rod show and we had about 100 cars last year and are hoping for more this year....its on Sept. 22,23,24th. just what are your questions?
my email address is as follows....hotdodge40@hotmail.com.....gimme a holler anytime!!!

 

in touch with who?? the state of iowa???

 

Yeah I have all 50 states in my address book, and Nevada on speed dial!

No the insurance company ya loon.

 

im going to be really upset when i meet ya and you DONT look like jerry lewis HEY LADIE