I think the awards are unique to other shows and its better. Basically WCK staff pick the "Top 10 Wild Kustoms", "Top 10 Mild Kustoms" etc with the CC picks. I think its better than the normal "BEST bla-bla-blas". It really showcases the top cars. The only questions I heard is "What did you win?" Maybe that on the letter to meet for the awards would be cool. JMHO
Just for what its worth, about every show to date around the country has had diminished attendance and participation all around. Our rough ecomomic cloud is playing big on the scene. So if a venue is a little behind this year they may be in line with the masses. Paso was pretty great, but Santa Maria is really an awesome spot. ~sololobo~
I've been an entrant since 1993. Paso is no more, and I regret that, but Santa Maria has improved steadily as a show. My major disappointment this year was with the entry itself -- it used to be that every year at Paso, there would be a large number of new, finished, first-rate customs to see, and this year I saw very few cars that were worth a second look. I think the economy has had an impact on the number of people building cars, and on the number willing to travel to see a distant show. Too bad, both ways. This year, I thought "maybe I won't come back next year", but in 12 months I'll probably change my mind. In any case, thanks to WCK and Santa Maria for the effort you put forth to provide a good show for everyone. A few suggestions: - For some reason, the cruise was slower this year than last, and a lot of cars overheat when driven that slowly. Anything that could be done to keep the speed up a little would be a blessing. - If all the bands stay home, it's fine with me. - You still need an ice cream vendor. Thanks again!
Swap meet on Saturday sounds good. couldn't make it Sunday. Maybe a few tables by the food vending area? hard to balance a huge burger, fries, and a soda while standing somewhere. Aside from those minor inconveniences the show is great And I will certainly see you next year.
I went the first two years of SM after going to Paso for a decade. Haven't gone back since and won't. Having it in the fairgrounds ruined it for me and a lot of other people. The people I talked to who went this year said there were a lot less cars, there is a reason for this. Part of it has to do with the economy, I'm sure but the feeling/atmosphere of the show has changed to much. In Paso you could park your car in the show and then spend the day walking around the town, grab a bite, have a drink, check out the shops, walk back to the park and do it all again. In SM you are stuck in the fairgrounds all day, crappy food which is to expensive. (I hear the food has improved some what) I also did not see all the people I used to see in Paso that I would hang out with, it used to be almost like a family reunion.The after show at the bowling alley is not like the one in Paso was either, which was half of the fun. Hanging out at the host hotel in the evening isn't the same either, the attitude of the people at this show is not the same. This show has lost everything that made it what it was, except for the cars. I'm sure there are other people that have started going to SM and they will go back, but what made the show special has been lost. Now it's just another fairground show like so many others. It was the location that made Paso what it was and attracted the people to it. I don't go to the goodguys show in Pleasanton either, the fairground situation sucks.
I been goin to paso maria for over 10 years, I drove down this year again, In general I had a good time. I wish I had some great advice to make it better, and I have to agree with everyone else Paso was better due to the flavor of the venue, but thats over so whatever move on. I would have like to seen more early cars, but thats just my preference. At Santa Maria I have never yet made it to the front area with my car, I always am in the back, and it feels a little like a bad step child in the back, you really need some way to draw people back into the back area. One thing you might consider, is Inviting some top notch cars from other areas, let them in for free as a special inited guest, so there are more unusal and cool cars, Thats the thing that I really Like about the show, when at paso I would see so many awesome things I had never seen before, maybye I am just getting older and have seen it already and getting pickier. I would like to really say thank you to the team who puts this show on for 10+ years of fun times. I will see you again next your I am sure.
A few more comments: I thought that the gate situation on Saturday AM was a huge improvement over previous years. I got there at 7 and drove straight in; found a place I liked near the front and stayed there. Good job on streamlining that. About the distribution of cars front-to-back -- it's always been true that the guys who want a "power spot" get there in the dark and rush in when the gates open. You snooze, you lose. But I always make a point to walk out to the back and see as many cars as I can, and there are certainly some cars worth seeing out there. I really can't imagine a more equitable way to arrange the parking within the grounds. OK, it was only two more comments. Thanks again.
i didn't go this year but from the photos i've seen it looked as though the number of shitboxes and rust buckets was way down, which is a real plus! so if you guys really cracked down on entrants for this year, continue to do so.
Hi, Kinda new to the scene of kustoms and lovin every minute of it. Never been to Paso, so I can't compare, but Santa Maria remains to be my favorite show and look forward to every year. Everyone seems to have an issue with the venue. I wouldn't know the first thing about organizing an event of this kind, but maybe a move to Arroyo Grande would work? The Historic part of that city would be an awesome place to cruise. Just a thought.
I went to a couple of the Paso shows and the first SM show, but haven't been back since. Nothing to do with the show being in SM, but life's been too busy and just haven't been able to make it to the show. I really dug Paso and the SM was ok. But like others have said, Paso is history past time to move on. I'll be back to SM when I can finally get back to having time for it. So, all I can add to help get me back sooner rather than later is to just keep the quality of the cars and vendors up, and try to keep the feel more personal and less produced. I think what I really liked a Paso was it felt more like a 3-day/night event meeting with friends and not so much just like a typical 8-5 show at a fairground where you just come and then go. Have as many cool things going on outside of the actual show and fairgrounds itself, bands at bars, little side gatherings/events, etc. It is cool the cruise is still on of course and is a great carry over from Paso. Would be nice if there was more and better food options than the typical fair food. Hate to say it, but most of it is way over priced and frankly sucks and the long lines for it just rub salt in the wounds over it. Again, haven't been since the first one, so maybe the food options have gotten better. But, in general for any enclosed show, that is a big turn off for me is expensive sucky food options and waiting in long crappy lines for it to boot. Paso was cool because you could just easily go to a real restaurant whenever you wanted and then just go back to the show. Good luck with it in the future regardless. It is still a great show and glad to see you are actively looking to try to keep making it even better. I'll be back before long one way or another.
i feel the same way, if you could find another small town to host it i think it would bring back whats been lost.
I agree. I nominate Porterville California, it's 3hrs directly east of Paso, 45 minutes north of Famoso Raceway. About the same population and slightly resembles Paso. plus I won't have to drive far Do it!! http://www.ci.porterville.ca.us/mods/VisitingHere/photographs.cfm
That is true, I have Not organized an Event Like this. But i figure if the People who had organized a show as Awsome as Paso was, Could have Re-Organized a New Show a bit more Similar to that show rather turn it into Just Another Fairgrounds Show that Loacks you in & Bleeds Everyone for Money EVERYWHERE you turn. I know everyone here says "GET OVER IT", I am Over it ... Thats why I Stopped Going after the First one. I Made a Lil more room for the Cool Kids .
I have neer attended the Santa Maria or the Paso Show. I do agree that an open setting that allows you to park and roam free is essential to a fun enjoyable show. I for one do not like being "Couped" in (pun intended) Viva
I) loved the show, the quality of the cars was great, I like this show because I get to see alot of the nothern california car clubs and their cars, great friendly people, loved the cruize and hopefully they will let it run longer next year, years ago I quit going to Paso because the merchants , police, and hotels were assholes, they did'nt apreciate our bussiness and did'nt want us there, I comend Penny for being loyal to us and I love the town of Santa Maria, the food is great and the towns people are like wise and do'nt gouge us and apreciate our bussiness, the Santa Maria P.D. was also great and very helpful . As for the people who miss the park at Paso, I frankly don't miss it, I remember we had to get up at 4a.m. and have to wait in line to park, and we were always stressed aboat getting a parking space, I wish the Paso winners would drop the subject, and would focus giving Penny the support she deserves, as for atendance , the place was packed, but there was a very large grass area that had over 600 cars, I think a lot of people miss this area and by the time they found it , half the people had left, I liked the fair grounds, and the staff was great and let people bar-b-que and bring their own food and beverages in, not like most fair grounds that are really nazi aboat bringing in your own food. On behalf of me and some of my fellow Lifter club members, thanks Penny for doing a wonderful job, and we will be back next year.
I have only gone to the first Santa Maria... been to Paso 10 plus years in a row. the only thing I would like to see changed is the location... move it closer to the Bay Area where all the cool people are. the extra hour each way killed it for me. too poor to stay overnight.
Ok, here you go. I've been attending the cruisin nationals since about the 13th show or so in Paso. Been to all the Santa Maria's. Santa Maria is definetly not Paso. It has more of a Goodguys feel to it with all the fees we have to pay to enjoy the cars. I don't attend the cruise cause I believe all the cars should be able to be driven, afterall this isn't a SEMA show. And besides I don't want to see old guys driving their Mustangs with fuzzy dice or listen to a split manifold on a '48 Chevy Fastback lowrider. Its kind of hard to get a good picture when the cars are moving. Now for the show, Its getting better, but still no Paso, its lost its feel. Its more mainstream now just like everything in this world. I never had to pay to park my car in Paso. Never had to pay to look at the cars in Paso. I could enjoy a water from the gas station across the street without having to pay $6.00 for it. In Paso you could walk across the street and enjoy an ice cream with the family or go sit down and have a nice steak somewhere close, without having to get back into your car. The food is way over priced for what you get. But I understand its fair food, and its got its overhead costs. Thats why we eat before or after the show, not during. You're getting more vendors, thats cool. But its because words out, people have to bring money to Santa Maria, I never had to budget to go to a car show. The show its self is better than previous years in Sant Maria. it just seems like the placement of cars needs alittle help. To many up front, not enough in back. Seems like everyone wants to be up front in hopes of getting alittle green sticker on their headlight. I saw several cars throughout the day on Saturday jocking to get as close to the front as possible only to cause a traffic jam for spectators. They squeezed so close to other cars you couldn't get a decent picture if you wanted to. Now this used to be the show to go to if you wanted to look at customs, now you have to look for the customs. I know we need to include the locals, afterall they gave us the fairgrounds, but how many lowriders do we really need. Trust me, I'm a huge fan of the lowrider scene, with the crazy paint and awesome stitch work but theres a place for them, you don't need their $50 that bad. Let some of them in, but not all of them. If this turns into a lowrider show, you're going to lose even more of "the feel" of the cruisin nationals. Paso Robles used to be a northern California show that married with the southern California guys once a year, but Santa Maria feels like a southern California goodguys show. Its almost to far for most guys further north than the bay that want to make a one day trip out of it. I'm not going to stop going to the show, I'm going to support it as much as possible, Tell everyone not to miss it, its still one of best shows around. You've done a good job keeping it alive. My only suggestion to help keep the "vibe of Paso alive" is to lower all the fees for the spectators, Lower the admission fee a few bucks making it a more family event without having to pay so much to get in. Lower the food cost alittle so people buy more, and possibly nix the parking fee all together, theres plently of room to park, you're already getting their entrance fee. Good luck with all future shows, and I'm sure they'll improve every year as long as you continue to listen to the entrants and spectators.
Maybe move the awards presentation to earlier in the day on Sunday? For those with a long drive home ahead of them, waiting until 4pm (and then waiting through all the awards) means getting on the road sometime in the evening & home very late at night after many days away. It's tuff sitting around all day knowing you have a long drive home - especially when you've already been doing the car show thing for several days. I think if the awards were a bit earlier, more people would stick around for at least part of Sunday, whereas now, most just say screw-it and hit the road.
Here's the bottom line: Paso was beyond fabulous and Santa Maria is just a very good show. Nobody's fault -- that's just the way it is. Most of the complaints about SM would go away if the show could be held in an open town (like Belmont Shore or Culver City) instead of a closed fairgrounds (like Del Mar or SM.) Objections (like high food prices, limited menus, cruise delays, admission costs for spectators, etc) would automatically go away if the show were in an open town. As long as the show is held in a closed facility, it will never compare to Paso. I assume WCK has already canvassed the central coast in an attempt to replicate Paso. If not, I would have reps out meeting with city fathers, in an attempt to do so. I'm sure Penny knows that this show means a lot of income to some town, some where. If I were on a City Council, I'd be very interested in having my town be the focus of WCK. Although I (and many other kustom nuts) wish that Paso would live again, we appreciate that SM has been put together for us. Penny, your request for input shows that your interest is the happiness of the kustom crowd ... and we appreciate it. That was a classy move. Thank you !! (Has anyone been in touch with the clowns at Paso to see if they recognize the error of their decision?)
I ve been going to WCK for about 25 years. Paso was great in its day but those days are gone. Santa Maria is different, but the show is better in many ways. Friday cruise was a little confusing on how to enter. In paso you entered at either end, when I tried to do this at Santa Maria I was waved off by the local police. Had to drive around looking for entrance. Once in the cruise it became a parking lot. At one point no one was moving. I agree that at each end there needs to be some kind of marker as to where to turn around. As for the fairgrounds I enter at 7 and had no problems getting in and finding a place to park. I agree with what has been said about having something for the back glass area to attract attention. All in all I think Penny and her staff are doing a great job and I know the show will only get better with our support. 1. Need more variety of food vendors - benches to sit down to enjoy the meal. 2. Swap meet should be held on sat and sun. 3. Some kind of activities for kids (jump house or whatever) what happen to the roller rink?
One thing nice about being in the fairgrounds, the vehicles are better protected. There is a show coming up in Old Town Orcutt (just a few miles south of Santa Maria) soon. It is open to the public. I've witnessed a family with young kids riding bicycles through last years show. One kid jumped off his bike, jumped on a running board and looked inside. The parents said nothing. Wasn't this becoming the problem in Paso causing a rise in costs because more security was required. Not for families on bikes, but underage drinking etc? There are pros and cons to 'pay to enter' verses 'free to the public' shows. There were some nice paint jobs in Santa maria this year which don't mix well with bikes and other modes of young folk transportation.
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