Lost my mojo for exhibiting at car shows
Discussion
I know the subject of exhibiting your P&J at car shows comes up here from time to time, but I think I have just completed my last one. It’s taken me over 30 years of attending with a wide variety of cars to finally come to the conclusion that I don’t actually enjoy these events.
I am talking exclusively about the regular park up and display shows. My final event was only walking distance from my home, so I preferred to leave my car and pop home for a long lunch with my family, rather than spend the day sitting on a deckchair by my car for 5 hours.
I’ll continue to visit sporting events such as hill climbs and track events with my classics and the odd classic car show as a visitor only, but my days of showing cars are over. I’d rather spend the time taking the family out for a drive somewhere.
What do you lot think about traditional car shows? Has their time passed? Or is it just me getting old and grumpy?
I am talking exclusively about the regular park up and display shows. My final event was only walking distance from my home, so I preferred to leave my car and pop home for a long lunch with my family, rather than spend the day sitting on a deckchair by my car for 5 hours.
I’ll continue to visit sporting events such as hill climbs and track events with my classics and the odd classic car show as a visitor only, but my days of showing cars are over. I’d rather spend the time taking the family out for a drive somewhere.
What do you lot think about traditional car shows? Has their time passed? Or is it just me getting old and grumpy?
LotusOmega375D said:
I know the subject of exhibiting your P&J at car shows comes up here from time to time, but I think I have just completed my last one. It’s taken me over 30 years of attending with a wide variety of cars to finally come to the conclusion that I don’t actually enjoy these events.
I am talking exclusively about the regular park up and display shows. My final event was only walking distance from my home, so I preferred to leave my car and pop home for a long lunch with my family, rather than spend the day sitting on a deckchair by my car for 5 hours.
I’ll continue to visit sporting events such as hill climbs and track events with my classics and the odd classic car show as a visitor only, but my days of showing cars are over. I’d rather spend the time taking the family out for a drive somewhere.
What do you lot think about traditional car shows? Has their time passed? Or is it just me getting old and grumpy?
I don't do static car shows anymore - I pretty much stopped in 2007 when I found a show that I liked that was a mix of static and track action I am talking exclusively about the regular park up and display shows. My final event was only walking distance from my home, so I preferred to leave my car and pop home for a long lunch with my family, rather than spend the day sitting on a deckchair by my car for 5 hours.
I’ll continue to visit sporting events such as hill climbs and track events with my classics and the odd classic car show as a visitor only, but my days of showing cars are over. I’d rather spend the time taking the family out for a drive somewhere.
What do you lot think about traditional car shows? Has their time passed? Or is it just me getting old and grumpy?
I'll do sporting events and tours with my cars but not static shows - they just hold zero attraction.
On the plus side at least you've realised now
B'stard Child said:
LotusOmega375D said:
I know the subject of exhibiting your P&J at car shows comes up here from time to time, but I think I have just completed my last one. It’s taken me over 30 years of attending with a wide variety of cars to finally come to the conclusion that I don’t actually enjoy these events.
I am talking exclusively about the regular park up and display shows. My final event was only walking distance from my home, so I preferred to leave my car and pop home for a long lunch with my family, rather than spend the day sitting on a deckchair by my car for 5 hours.
I’ll continue to visit sporting events such as hill climbs and track events with my classics and the odd classic car show as a visitor only, but my days of showing cars are over. I’d rather spend the time taking the family out for a drive somewhere.
What do you lot think about traditional car shows? Has their time passed? Or is it just me getting old and grumpy?
I don't do static car shows anymore - I pretty much stopped in 2007 when I found a show that I liked that was a mix of static and track action I am talking exclusively about the regular park up and display shows. My final event was only walking distance from my home, so I preferred to leave my car and pop home for a long lunch with my family, rather than spend the day sitting on a deckchair by my car for 5 hours.
I’ll continue to visit sporting events such as hill climbs and track events with my classics and the odd classic car show as a visitor only, but my days of showing cars are over. I’d rather spend the time taking the family out for a drive somewhere.
What do you lot think about traditional car shows? Has their time passed? Or is it just me getting old and grumpy?
I'll do sporting events and tours with my cars but not static shows - they just hold zero attraction.
On the plus side at least you've realised now
Riley Blue said:
That makes three of us. I'd far rather spend a day driving or spectating at a motorsport event than sitting in a field looking at parked cars.
I still do two shows a year - but they are static/track mix so people that want to stand in a field with their car can but those that want to do something with it are catered for too.........Retro-Rides Weekender at Goodwood which was in May and the next one Retro-Rides Gathering on the Sunday 18th August at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb
I do a mixture, but I find myself trying to make sure I'll have something to do all day. Increasingly this is because the event is at a motorsport-related thing - for example my club has stands at Oulton Park from time to time, and Donington and a few others. I recently did the display at Carfest which would have had plenty to keep me busy had the weather turned out better, and last weekend I was at a small static show alongside the Llangollen steam railway - not many cars, but the ability to spend the day travelling up and down on the railway made up for it as the scenery is lovely.
Even at static shows, with some care, I can find enough to keep me going through the day. Tatton Park is in a couple of weeks, and usually the autojumble will have enough to keep me wandering around for a bit, also quite a few people there that I know to chat to, and if all else fails, massive grounds to wander around. Same at Cholmondeley Castle - there's always something to look at when standing around gets boring.
I do know what you mean though - I used to do the show at Bodelwyddan Castle, and while the grounds are smaller the castle is a lovely thing to photograph. But, once you've been for a few years, there's (obviously) nothing new in that regard, and the autojumble and grounds don't really give me enough for the whole day there. You'd think the same would apply at Cholmondeley, but perhaps I forgive it because it's much closer, so I don't have a relatively long journey back along the A55 with all the other traffic to look "forward" to.
Even at static shows, with some care, I can find enough to keep me going through the day. Tatton Park is in a couple of weeks, and usually the autojumble will have enough to keep me wandering around for a bit, also quite a few people there that I know to chat to, and if all else fails, massive grounds to wander around. Same at Cholmondeley Castle - there's always something to look at when standing around gets boring.
I do know what you mean though - I used to do the show at Bodelwyddan Castle, and while the grounds are smaller the castle is a lovely thing to photograph. But, once you've been for a few years, there's (obviously) nothing new in that regard, and the autojumble and grounds don't really give me enough for the whole day there. You'd think the same would apply at Cholmondeley, but perhaps I forgive it because it's much closer, so I don't have a relatively long journey back along the A55 with all the other traffic to look "forward" to.
Thing that has stopped me apart from being too busy is the H & S stuff. Arrive before the public at silly o'clock, can't move the car until the show is over at 17:00 or whatever despite potentially a long drive home. For most show arrive at 9:30 or so I want to be gone by 2 at the latest.
I have no interest in showing my car, if its nice enough to get it out and leave it in a field all day then i'd rather be out driving the thing!
I did go to a show yesterday at Croft but there was racing on too and even though the displays were for 60's, 70's and 80's cars i happily parked mine in the public car park with the common riff raff
I did go to a show yesterday at Croft but there was racing on too and even though the displays were for 60's, 70's and 80's cars i happily parked mine in the public car park with the common riff raff
tr7v8 said:
Thing that has stopped me apart from being too busy is the H & S stuff. Arrive before the public at silly o'clock, can't move the car until the show is over at 17:00 or whatever despite potentially a long drive home. For most show arrive at 9:30 or so I want to be gone by 2 at the latest.
That almost put me off showing at Carfest, despite trying for several years. There was a link to various "risk assessments" that had to be filled in, which seemed over the top for showing a static car, and in fact the questions asked turned out to be so trivial that I've forgotten them. Display times were another - in place by 8am, stay in place until 7pm, except that with ground conditions it was gone 8pm by the time I got out on Saturday. I guess most people would just camp, but I've never done that and I'm not starting now, especially as I'm less than 20 miles from the venue.You can see it from several points of view though - if you want to be going home at 2pm, that means their event is starting to close down by then, because others will do the same. Also, it means they've got to allow vehicle movements in a show ground that has normal show visitors walking around, so that adds danger in varying degrees depending on the size of show and nature of the venue and its visitors. And it's difficult to get traders to come along and pay to set up their stand if they know the show is effectively starting to close just after lunch as there's not enough time to sell.
But then, a lot of these newer "breakfast meetings" would seem ideal for you - much more informal in terms of turn-up and leave times, and even the longest hangers-on are gone just after lunch time.
Riley Blue said:
B'stard Child said:
LotusOmega375D said:
I know the subject of exhibiting your P&J at car shows comes up here from time to time, but I think I have just completed my last one. It’s taken me over 30 years of attending with a wide variety of cars to finally come to the conclusion that I don’t actually enjoy these events.
I am talking exclusively about the regular park up and display shows. My final event was only walking distance from my home, so I preferred to leave my car and pop home for a long lunch with my family, rather than spend the day sitting on a deckchair by my car for 5 hours.
I’ll continue to visit sporting events such as hill climbs and track events with my classics and the odd classic car show as a visitor only, but my days of showing cars are over. I’d rather spend the time taking the family out for a drive somewhere.
What do you lot think about traditional car shows? Has their time passed? Or is it just me getting old and grumpy?
I don't do static car shows anymore - I pretty much stopped in 2007 when I found a show that I liked that was a mix of static and track action I am talking exclusively about the regular park up and display shows. My final event was only walking distance from my home, so I preferred to leave my car and pop home for a long lunch with my family, rather than spend the day sitting on a deckchair by my car for 5 hours.
I’ll continue to visit sporting events such as hill climbs and track events with my classics and the odd classic car show as a visitor only, but my days of showing cars are over. I’d rather spend the time taking the family out for a drive somewhere.
What do you lot think about traditional car shows? Has their time passed? Or is it just me getting old and grumpy?
I'll do sporting events and tours with my cars but not static shows - they just hold zero attraction.
On the plus side at least you've realised now
Now miles from anywhere and shows are few and far between but I stopped doing shows, with the exception of Sports cars in the park years ago.
Gosforth Park mid 80's to be exact.
Group of us with Lotus Sevens, people just sitting the cars without asking, little girl stood on the side exhaust to look in, never again...
I stopped exhibiting on club stands / concours / show and shine a couple of years ago and I really don't miss it. I occasionally do a breakfast meet, but I got fed up of the rows of the same cars, the b
hiness, the lack of respect for your car from some members of the public, organising tickets for people that then didn't turn up - I could go on. I have noticed how odd people on club stands are now I'm on the other side of the fence though 
hiness, the lack of respect for your car from some members of the public, organising tickets for people that then didn't turn up - I could go on. I have noticed how odd people on club stands are now I'm on the other side of the fence though Goodwood Breakfast Club yesterday was heaving! Display cars parked far further round to the left of the grandstand than I've noticed before. Lovely mix of old, not so old, concours and patina of age, rare and super rare. Could be wrong, but I think displayers can get away by lunchtime.
I still enjoy driving down to The Ace Cafe classic cars evening (second Tuesday each month) but I will only go twice a year and the pleasure is meeting mates from London after a couple of us drive down from the Midlands
Supping a drop of necktie and bangers and mash, lovely
I can't stand the idea of parking up with a couple of folding chairs so my wife and I become exhibits at the zoo though
'A months'* at the Ace does it for me exclusively now
A mate of mine takes his little Fiat all over the place to park up and become proud exhibits
Makes me shudder
Supping a drop of necktie and bangers and mash, lovely
I can't stand the idea of parking up with a couple of folding chairs so my wife and I become exhibits at the zoo though
'A months'* at the Ace does it for me exclusively now
A mate of mine takes his little Fiat all over the place to park up and become proud exhibits
Makes me shudder
- April and August so next week
jonah35 said:
Can’t believe it’s taken you so long to figure it out!
I often wonder what the people sat in a deck chair behind their MG do for the 8 hours of the car show!!
I’ll go, have a look around and leave. What do you do for the entire day!!
Well this isn’t the main reason for my decision, but I did make some observations yesterday, which I can share with you. I often wonder what the people sat in a deck chair behind their MG do for the 8 hours of the car show!!
I’ll go, have a look around and leave. What do you do for the entire day!!
The retired group sat right behind me sharing a thermos flask, spent hours proudly discussing their history of trade union membership.
The wife of the owner of the Mustang next to them spent the entire afternoon chain-smoking: unfortunately for me I was downwind of her, so probably inhaled the equivalent of 10 Superkings myself.
The girlfriend of the vehicle next to mine occasionally leaned her (admittedly lovely) backside on my car. However her visiting friends were all so large, they could barely fit between the parked cars, so their handbags became potentially dangerous weapons.
Yes I came to the same conclusion a couple of years or so ago. Fortunately there are lots of "Breakfast" meets now at pubs and cafes. These are very good, you turn up earlish hang around as long as you want and leave. No bureaucracy.
Last Sundays Goodwood Classic Car event is pretty much the same although you do need to register.
Last Sundays Goodwood Classic Car event is pretty much the same although you do need to register.
jonah35 said:
Can’t believe it’s taken you so long to figure it out!
I often wonder what the people sat in a deck chair behind their MG do for the 8 hours of the car show!!
I’ll go, have a look around and leave. What do you do for the entire day!!
Lost interest into going to car shows many years ago as this is how they appeated to me.I often wonder what the people sat in a deck chair behind their MG do for the 8 hours of the car show!!
I’ll go, have a look around and leave. What do you do for the entire day!!
Probably got spoilt by going to the Revival and Coys at Silverstone which were like nothing else and had hours of interest even walking round the car parks let alone the millions and millions in value of cool metal inside.
Have no interest in one make events either, love my TVR because it's different. Don't want to park up in a field with a load of others that are probably in better nick than mine.
Rather use it and go somewhere.
I like a walk round a car show. Last one I was at was Moffat and I thought it was brilliant and only £5 to get in. Never thought of displaying as it commits you to the whole day but appreciate the people who do display. Thanks to you all!
Apart from Sunderland Hall which had a rainy day a few years ago. I arrived at 1.30 as cars were to stay until 4. At least half the exhibitors had left,or were in the process of leaving or had never turned up. When I left I asked the steward on the gate for half my money back as half the show was missing. He just looked confused and said to apply to organising committee for a refund. I was just joking.
Apart from Sunderland Hall which had a rainy day a few years ago. I arrived at 1.30 as cars were to stay until 4. At least half the exhibitors had left,or were in the process of leaving or had never turned up. When I left I asked the steward on the gate for half my money back as half the show was missing. He just looked confused and said to apply to organising committee for a refund. I was just joking.
The other thing that put me off displaying at car shows was when you started having to pay to display your car - without which there wouldn't be a show. £15-20 a person, then another £5 to enter show and shine, soon gets boring. When I did Ultimate Dubs a few times, you got free entry, although your car was stuck inside for most of the weekend and you had to buy hotel rooms through the organisers.
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