I drove from SoCal for the first one the @Sanford&Son was involved with and it was well laid out. Easy to get in and plenty of free parking. Bought a couple of things for a fair price. If the one coming up is as good as the one I went to it should be a good meet. But I'm not going to commit to the drive due to the uncertainty of everything. If the reports come back favorable I'll make the drive for the next one.
I drove cross country in May & October of last year at my expense to cover this Event. In October I was in attendance Thursday thru Saturday - Jim secured an unrestricted pass for me - I interviewed the volunteers and ate with the volunteer cooks - live streamed videos throughout the vendor area - did live vendor interviews - gave an interview from the balcony - interviewed patrons browsing what was offered for sale. Just like May - first class and everything ran smoothly thanks to Jim Then … i was in a golf car with Jim at the October Event in the PreWar Vendor Area when a member of paid staff confronted Jim with no provocation and started berating Jim in front of the Public basically about nothing. Jim handled it better than I would have. Jim was discharged shortly after that. Several key volunteers have left after that. What is really going on at The Ag Center with the paid management would cause most folks never to set foot on the property again. I kinda know what to expect will happen over the course of the May Swap Meet. I have in the past & will continue in the future - to support Jim to organize and bring another quality event like he did in May & September of last year. Jim
Based on local advertising - it is being promoted as a Flea Market. One Example …. Vendor to Vendor Sales is scheduled for Friday during all day vendor set up that is supposed to be closed to the Public … That is why there is a tractor pull for the Public … On Friday …. Jim
I suppose it comes down to whether you (attendee) supported the swap meet for the parts or who was involved in working with it.
Jim fought to create and organize Swap-O-Rama. He had pushed for a post war swap meet at The Ag Center for awhile and COVID-19 finally created the opportunity needed. After his departure from The Ag Center Jim tried to put together a Spring 2022 auto swap meet at The Tulare Fairgrounds. The Ag Center employee who I witnessed confronting Jim in October of 2021 did not want any automotive swap meets at The Ag Center - he fought the idea of the May & October 2021 Swap-O-Ramas and has a poor opinion of automotive swap meet vendors and patrons. This is well known. After Jim left The Ag Center … The guy who brought The Spring Bakersfield Swap Meet list to Jim’s May & October 2021 Swap-O-Rama was invited to sit down with Jim and a representative of The Tulare Fairgrounds where tentative plans were discussed for what was to be the first post war and possible pre war swap meet ever held at the fairgrounds. Jim was discussing sponsorship with a major backer - The Tulare Fairgrounds has grass & race track & showers along with other amenities favorable to Vendors & Patrons. Jim is well known in the community and has a well deserved reputation. The guy with the Bakersfield list - like Jim - is a native of the area and went to high school with Jim. At the end of the meeting - this guy was asked to let Jim and the Tulare Fairgrounds know if he was interested in being part of a 2022 Car Swap Meet one way or another. This guy then met with The Ag Center employee that I had witnessed confronting Jim in October of 2021. Afterwards - this guy called me and told me he did not trust The Ag Center guy and knew The Ag Center guy thought poorly of the car hobby vendors and parons - he told me he would never have an event at The Ag Center. This guy never got back in touch with either Jim or The Tulare Fairgrounds. So Jim decided not to compete with a Spring 2022 Ag Center Seap Meet. The older I get - the less BS I tolerate. This guy with the Bakersfield list was someone I once considered a friend - but no more. So - for the sake of the Hobby I hope I am wrong and I hope this Spring Swap-O-Rama is a repeat success. Despite that The Ag Center representative responsible for this one sent Jim packing last year and doesn’t like the Hobby or the Vendors or the Patrons … Jim
What a bummer, when personalitys and attitudes can wreck a good time for the vendors and car folks, just because one person gets it in his head that " he doesn't care for car people " and that individual has the power to influence those in power!
Geezus...sorry I asked; maybe I should have posted: "who is NOT going?". Anyway, I will take your overtly subjective comments into consideration... and go check it out.
Looking forward to your thoughts after going to the meet. I'm going to be visiting my son so even if the cost of diesel wasn't out of sight I wouldn't be going. Post some photos if you can. Thanks.
I was just wanting to know what time the gate is supposed to open. I've seen a flyer that says 9am but that seems awfully late. I don't want to go too early and stand around for hours for nothing. On the other hand, I obviously don't want to get there thinking the gate opens at nine when they actually started letting people in at seven. If you aren't first through the gate there's no reason to go to a swap meet. I've been to both of the previous swaps in Tulare, the first one was pretty good, the second was terrible....... about two thirds of the spots were empty.
[ So we went and were not disappointed. Combining with the tractor show made for a variety of things to do. Swap meet stared slow Friday but soon filled up nice... lots of old parts and old people! My main focus is motorcycles and semi off topic Chevys, got enough good stuff to make it worthwhile. here is a few of the "what happened to asking price" beauties I spotted...I would go again.
Thank you for the pictures! Congratulation to Bill Bennett for (from everything I have read on other forums & people I spoke to who were there) what was a highly successful swap meet!!! A few years back when he was just getting this started, we emailed back & forth & out of the blue one day he called me. What a nice guy! We had a great hour long conversation including some chuckles about some guy we both have a high disdain for! God Bless Bill https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/
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