What makes or breaks a car show?

Cost or should I say value, I hate paying $40 +, to park on a blocked off downtown street and you get a "cheap" dash plaque and that's it, and the show is over by 3pm...also hate power parkers and space savers, when the gate opens at 7 and you get there at 7:02 and you pull in to park and some guy is there with his car and lawn chairs and he says I'm saving this whole row, for guys that maybe will show up 2 hours later... also an announcer that won't shut up yaking and pumping up the raffle tickets sales...and lastly guys that have a crate motor in their car and stomp tune it all day, I like good music, good & reasonable food available, a good mix of cars, celebs are ok if they are really someone from something relavent.. shade is good too, and lastly for this, a winners committee that actually knows something about cars, and doesn't give a "Duece Doin's" award to a Model A or a roadster award to a coupe you know what I mean, we have all seen it... but mostly I like shows with people that are just there for the fun of it all...weather they "win" a trophy or not... ok that all...

 

I have to say one of the most fun I've had was the Corvair car shows, it's all one make sure, but they have the fanbelt toss, it's like horseshoes, the creeper races, which I won as a young lad go me, and some really wacky stuff to do. It's in palm springs, which can be a fun place to visit. I haven't been in years but that was a great show.

As for the plastic trophies, I love those. They're all interchangable so I started buying them at yardsales and constructing my own super hotrod trophy. It's about four foot tall now with more little plastic gold eagles and flying ladies than you can shake a piston at, I'm not sure what to put on the etched plate on the bottom but I think "Made ya look!" would be good!

 

Looks as if most of the makes or breaks have been mentioned. To add to the breaks imo is most everything has a 350/350. That to me is so ho-hum. Biggest one is the liars. You all know who I mean. They are seen at most all the shows you go to saying, "I" did this, "I" built that piece, "I" painted this color. You have known them for years and know for a fact that they couldnt fold a paper airplane! They either bought it as is or paid someone to do it and give them no credit for their talents. Here, there are more than a few at each show.
That is the reason I stopped going.

 

A big irritant for me is people riding bicycles around the cars or kids with skateboards! Keep them OUT!

 

No Dogs! I dont take my hot rod to a Dog show and i dont want any dogs at a car show. And I am very fond of dogs. (well real dogs anyway. I always say "If you can carry your dog it is too small!") Just aint the right place for them at a car show.
Don

 

What makes or breaks a show for me is a CRUISE. My wife and I bought and maintain our car because we love to cruise the open highway. We use the"excuse" of a car show to take a drive and we try and find shows that have have a cruise when deciding what to go to.

I love looking at the cars but I enjoy driving my car even more.