Event Coverage Car show preregistration ideas help

Hello All, a partner has asked us to help them put on a car show.
I would like to pre register the cars so I can curate what gets entered. The partner wants to use Evenbrite to register everyone, make them pay, then I curate, then refund people that didnt make the cut.
I think that is a horrible way to do it.
What have others done to pre register entrants before they pay. Thanks.

 

Maybe that is the New Jersey way... I would consider my rejection letter a "Single digit salute".

 

Be upfront with registration, print what will be excepted and what will not, sounds like a great way to piss people off.

I have been involved in pre registration for many car show and never turned anyone away, the idea is to make money, f you want restrictions make it know. HRP

 

Plenty of shows have restrictions on which cars can attend. It's your event after all. Just be totally up front with people and make it very clear on a flier. Cutoff dates, NO rat rods, whatever, it's your decision. If you want to get really picky, require that potential attendees e-mail a picture of their car well prior to the show. That's a ridiculous idea to take their money and then refund it . Stupid idea. Good luck.

 

Geez.... good luck with that. You might get some feedback...........

 

I would do it like the Gathering at the Roc does. Have folks send in a pic or something (whatever can satisfy the requirements you are giving), then you can review and reply by email to each possible entrant with a link where they can actually enter and pay. That seems to work and is way easier and less offensive than taking money and refunding it because someone doesn't make the cut.

The way we do our event is specifically spell out the requirements but let people pre-register on their own. This does allow a few folks to ignore the requirements and enter, but I am also not into policing it that close. I just want the event to be '64 and older as far as the feel. So, a few 70's cars don't ruin it in my mind. We are also not in it to make any money...it is about providing a family-friendly event to drive the two lanes through the country and eat some good lunch at the end hoping to make a few new friends along the way somewhere.

 

I think TROG does the same entry qual thing from what I’ve read, you send in pics, they review them, say okay or what would need to be changed.

 

Some of the guys with the best cars, will consider that eventbrite stuff a bunch of unnecessary computer nonsense. I have seen where invitations are placed in the desirable cars at other shows, and word gets out about what kind of cars you are looking for and it sort of snowballs if you make it worthwhile for the car owner. The other question is what do you have at stake. Are you a business/builder- do you want a bunch of guys pissed off at you? Picking favourites is always tough. Some shows have 2 or more areas- prime spots for those that really meet the criteria and a step down area for those that meet the age category, but maybe not the style. Good luck.

 

You can contact me. I'll tell you how to do it properly. I kinda have some experience with this. Dale

 

Thank you everyone with your feedback. Im glad Im not the only one who felt that was the wrong way to go about it.

 

I should also add that it will be a smaller show since we only have room for a 100 show cars. Hence me wanting to curate the look and feel of the show. Making the cut sounded harsh I guess.

 

One question What is Evenbrite?

I can not believe I am the only person who doesn’t know, which is going to limit the people who register, you also have people like my dad who flat out refuse to use the computer, hell if he has to use his debt card, he hands it to my mom and has her or if I happen to be with him me because he hates hate using that kind of stuff!

 

I don't know what Evenbrite is either if that helps any...

 

I think I used evenbright on whitewalls. Did ok

 

@Robert J. Palmer @guthriesmith I didn't know either.

Looked it up, actually it's "Eventbrite". For tracking event registrations and such....

 

For reference, we just created a google docs form that allows folks to enter all the info and then it dumps it into a spreadsheet that is easy to sort, etc. However, if we were trying to screen folks first, I would just give out an email address to send the prospective entries to prior to sending them a link to the entry form.

 

Interesting...I have used scotchbrite but may have to try evenbright next time...

 

Might have been chrome polish.
I can’t remember

 

Scotchbrite and chrome polish are useful but not for this part. Thanks though...
Eventbrite is an online ticketing entity. The only problem I see is they dont do a pre register thing. So everyone who wants to enter has to pay.
Guthriesmith, I am looking into the google forms route. Thanks for that.

 

......Me too.

 

Shoot me a message or something if you want an example of how we do it. It's pretty simple and straight forward.

 

Some folks get nutted up over cuts for shows.
Not every show is the local cruise or high school fundraiser.

One show has perspective participants mail in pics. Sounds like a slow method these days. But the refund method kinda sounds goofy.
A link to a simple info form and upload a few pics.
Send back more detailed invites to the ones that make the cut. Have backup selections to fill spots for those that don’t reply back or change plans.

 

Eventbrite is usually used for running events, 10 K's, cycling, mountainbike races. Triathalons etc. I have also seen it for events like movie screenings and such. Never heard of it used for a car event

 

Old way was to make flyers, an car club guy would hand out an give to other clubs,ask auto parts/that had speed parts if a pile of flyers could be on conuter

 

I’ve seen the flyers handed out at shows. Ive always wondered why my friends had more of those than me. Now I know

 

It is your show, and you can choose what you want, or don't want at your show. When my sons were involved with "The Road Agents" most people knew want we wanted. The cars that showed up, but were not what we wanted, we had special parking for them outside of the fenced in area. Remember, you don't bring Mustangs to a Corvette show.

 

You mean “dealership” shows. That’s what they seem to me. One free gathering I go to most weekends has 20 rear engine Corvettes….Mustang/All Ford Shows do car much about non Mustangs either..

 

. Yep. If you are making payments on your car, why the hell is it at a car show

 

So did I, but there are people like my dad who don’t use or want to have anything to do with the computer or the interweb.

About two weeks ago someone asked him if had had his phone with him.

He said “No, my phone is at home connected to a jack in the wall by a wire.”

The man doesn’t own a cell phone, or use the computer.
`

 

Everbright is a promotional event deal. HRP