SHOULD EXHIBITORS PAY AT SHOWS??

bookerboy

Just reading the letters page in irish Vintage Scene today.Alot of complaints from people that have to pay to exhibit their vehicle at Classic shows around the country.
I think its worth some discussion here.To set the ball rolling i have two questions for you.
1.Should exhibitors pay to exhibit at classic shows?
2.What do you expect from a Classic/Vintage show as an exhibitor?

In my oponion Exhibitors should not have to pay at shows,should be admitted free of charge with one guest in their car.Joe public pays to see our cars,so we are the show(perhaps we should be paid to be there)
If the show is for a charity exhibitors can make a donation if they like.

I have attended ten shows this year in my classic and i would appreciate the following when possible.A speedy entrance to the display area,a decent hard surface to park on,an option to leave at any time i like without joining Joe public in an hour long tailback(classics are now leaving shows earlier to avoid tailbacks)Decent food at a decent price.I don't expect show organisers to provide free food for hundreds of exhibitors but am tired of greasy chip vans at stupid prices.
That's all i can think of for the moment.Look forward to hearing you comments(or horror stories)

Blue850

Its well worth getting Irish Vintage Scene this month (yellow Cortina on the cover) to read the letter's page. The Moynalty show comes in for some heavy criticism.

Irish-trucker

I'll have to pick it up tomorrow .

I think what went on in moynalty was a bit mad .

Without the exhibitors all the moynalty show is a sunday market.
I'd say there's plenty of older stock that won't bother going next year.

MERCMAN1234

Agree, should not have to pay at shows. You sometimes have to drive 70 -- 100 miles, pay for fuel, polish car etc. Some of the food at shows is a disgrace and they way you are treated. I left two shows early beacuse of poor food & payment. Will be very selective where i go next year.At the end of the day it is a hobby.

Irish-trucker

To be honest I don't expect alot when i go to a show, a shake hands & 'thanks for coming' means alot to me,some lads go mad looking for plaques if i get one happy days,but its not the end of the world if there's none.
As for food, I don't expect anything (I rather bring my own) .
People expect too much at some shows Imo.

Smaller shows are that bit more personal,and there the ones i'l be going to next year hopefully.

As you say at the end of the day it is a hobby. Anyone who's out to profit from a vintage gathering is'nt into it for the right reasons.

By the way i've no obejection to donating a few bob to the Charity on the day-ever little helps!

corktina

sticks in my throat a bit to pay to get in especially as I may have spent up to €100 to be there on petrol etc (my choice to go long distances I know)

I dont want a plaque or any thing else...but would echo opinions about getting out when I want and not being up to the axles in mud (i try to avoid shows in farmers fields with thrashing and tractors galore as the organisers often dont understand the requirements of car owners

Pdfile

depends on the car.

If your bringing hitlers merc or simular which is bring the crowds, then yes, no fee's for you.

If your bringing a rusty suzuki alto which your granny gave you for your 17th birthday and goes classic in 5 years time....

Sorry pal your out of luck...

just my 2 pence lads.

Sids Not

Q..If you are exhibiting at a show..do you still pay an enterance fee too ..?

shawnee

I don't have a difficulty paying for shows provided the proceeds are going to charity. I do however feel that when a motor club or whatever runs a show then it should not charge exhibitors. Most of the shows that I have travelled to this year have not charged exhibitors.:p

2cv

I've always had the impression that these shows are run as a money making scheme, rather than a day out for the classic enthusiast. So clearly they need to get as much money as they could.

The biggest shock for me was the fact that i had to pay €15 to get in to the Inniscara Vintage show there a few weeks ago... And what do you get for that? An auld fella saying mass over the speaker system (no joke!!!). If i wanted to get the Father Ted feel, i'd watch the DVDs

mustang68

1: No. You should have the option of donating in a bucket, or something, pay what you feel you want, some people dropped big money on parts/fluids to get to the show, it can be insulting when you turen up and they won't let you in unless you give them 8.50 or whatever.

(Terenure, although a great show is a real kick in the teeth, if you don't pre register it costs you MORE than a spectator to get in and you don't even get a coffee).

2: A "Thanks for coming along" would make my day, I'm not concerned about medals or plaques, although a coffee and a muffin would be a nice gesture. Being allowed leave a show early could be a thread of it's own!

manta mad

been to a good few shows now & the biggest thing that sticks out for me is the food !!!!!!!!!!

first the price ... its way too expensive & the food quality is brutal !

and yes i think exhibitors should be free of charge !

..........no exhibitors no show ! ...........

well that would be my thinking after traveling & fuel expenses & all the rest of the effort that go,s in to getting you classic to a show !

out of all the shows i went to over the years , i had the best experience last month at the castledermot field day out ..

( I'm not a member of this club by the way )

no entry fee !
the exhibitors had their own entrance ,and their was a lot their , no hold ups going in and a Marshall to park you up straight away .

the food stalls were many and the usual dear one,s were their , but their was tea, sandwiches ,biscuits, cakes free for the exhibitors & passenger !
also a few home fresh food stalls which had good food .

on exit you got a brass plaque & again no hold ups on the way out !

so that to me was a very good show to attend & not a bit of hassle getting in or out !

macplaxton

Whilst the entry fees chargeable vary quite a bit. I'm wondering what an organiser can do (apart from steep on-the-day charges) if by surprise the day turns out to be scorching sunny one and every man and his wagon turns up at the gate?

Food is crap, but as long as they don't ban BBQs and whatever as a small group you might decide is better.

dollydishmop

Pdfile wrote: »

depends on the car.

If your bringing hitlers merc or simular which is bring the crowds, then yes, no fee's for you.

If your bringing a rusty suzuki alto which your granny gave you for your 17th birthday and goes classic in 5 years time....

Sorry pal your out of luck...

just my 2 pence lads.

A few shows that we attend handle this in what I think is an acceptable way.
Vehicles that are 30yrs+ are given free entry (or a donation to charity at car owner's discretion)
And vehicles under 30 yrs...pay to exhibit.

Simples

macplaxton wrote: »

Whilst the entry fees chargeable vary quite a bit. I'm wondering what an organiser can do (apart from steep on-the-day charges) if by surprise the day turns out to be scorching sunny one and every man and his wagon turns up at the gate?

But you could also argue that good weather will bring increased numbers of paying spectators too...so works both ways.



Personally yes I object to paying to exhibit a vehicle. Between himself and myself we have a few different vehicles in varying conditions, and on a nice day its good to get a couple out for a spin to show...but when you're paying entry on 2 vehicles at the gate...plus petrol etc...well, we just don't bother.

My nearest vintage rally is held less than 2 miles from home, and this year we took 3 vehicles on the Sunday show, and 2 vehicles on the Saturday afternoon road run...if we'd been charged on the gate per vehicle, well...we wouldn't have bothered bringing any, let alone 3 of them, to be honest!

We don't expect food, and the majority of the time we forget to use the food tickets we've been given.
And whilst plaques are nice, to us they're not the be-all and end-all on the day...perhaps organisers who wish to provide plaques could charge for the plaques instead, then those who want them would buy them, and those who just want to bring their vehicles out to a vintage rally can do just that without being expected to swell the organiser's profit margin.

As someone else has already stated...no vintage vehicles = no vintage show...

We tend to avoid the shows that charge on the gate now...

Big Nasty

Don't agree with paying - in fact the only show I paid in to this year was Terenure and that's only because it's the biggest show of the season.

chevyv8

no ,i dont agree with paying into exhibit our own cars, exhibitors are charged more than the people just going to view the cars, that dosnt make sense at all. it costs enough to get there and then you get asked for a 20 spot. there are a few shows that i will always attend ie terenure , the money goes to a good charity...
we as a club , the AMERICAN MUSCLE CARS IRELAND , had a long discussion as to attent certain shows or not, we all agreed that it was crazy paying into some shows. we decided as a club to only attend a certain few shows per year. we also agreed 100% that we would prefer to go out for a days spin and get dinner or lunch somewhere in preference to standing in a field and being charged for the honour of doing so.
can you imagine the rolling stones being charged to give a concert or any professional footballer being charged to play in front of the crowd. aint gonta happen.
some of the showgrounds are only fit for cattle and we are expected to put our pride and joy in these fields...
i have attended shows all over the country and am appalled at peoples attitude to the cars at shows, some folk are under the impression because they pay in to a show that they can do what the hell they like with the cars. kids climbing all over them , jumping in and out without even asking.stuff being stolen from and off cars is ridiculous.
some of these shows advertise auto jumbles , most are either market garden stalls with a few car parts for sale. why should i pay for the privilage of all of the above. my days of attending so called car shows are numbered, and the clubs that organise the same have only themselves to blame. thats my sixpence worth.

galwaytt

First off: did we not have this 'discussion' already, HERE ?

Blue850 wrote: »

Its well worth getting Irish Vintage Scene this month (yellow Cortina on the cover) to read the letter's page. The Moynalty show comes in for some heavy criticism.

In a similar vein, should Irish Vintage Scene not pay for all whom they photograph at shows as well either ? I hope they pay for the 'feature' articles. Same audience, yet no-one seems to have a problem lashing out on a magazine every month. I don't buy it, on principle.

2cv wrote: »

I've always had the impression that these shows are run as a money making scheme, rather than a day out for the classic enthusiast. So clearly they need to get as much money as they could.

Well the simple way to find out, is to join show committe, and run one, and then come back and tell us. I say this as having been on VMCC committee for years, and we never made a cent. Just you wait 'til you hear the words 'Public Liability Insurance'......and then you'll know all about it.

chevyv8 wrote: »

no ,i dont agree with paying into exhibit our own cars, exhibitors are charged more than the people just going to view the cars, that dosnt make sense at all. it costs enough to get there and then you get asked for a 20 spot. there are a few shows that i will always attend ie terenure , the money goes to a good charity...

Well, you're forgetting that half, and sometimes more, of the visitor's to these shows, are people IN the shows! So, if all the car-showers (?), don't go, you're right, there'll be nothing to look at. Neither will there be a fraction of people to look at them ! When you walk around the show's, most are there for relaxation - they could just as easily spent the money in the pub........I know which I think is the more constructive, anyway.....both socially, and chemically !

I agree you should get good value, and the charge needs to reflect that: just remember, there's nothing for nothing in this world (for good or ill)....

Big Nasty

galwaytt wrote: »

Well, you're forgetting that half, and sometimes more, of the visitor's to these shows, are people IN the shows! So, if all the car-showers (?), don't go, you're right, there'll be nothing to look at. Neither will there be a fraction of people to look at them ! When you walk around the show's, most are there for relaxation - they could just as easily spent the money in the pub........I know which I think is the more constructive, anyway.....both socially, and chemically !

I agree you should get good value, and the charge needs to reflect that: just remember, there's nothing for nothing in this world (for good or ill)....

By that train of thought if the majority of spectators are exhibitors then we are paying solely for the use of a field (so that non exhibiting enthusiasts can also pay to come in and look at our cars). Why not just organise meets in your local B&Q type complex for nothing and eat in comfortable surroundings not out of a van and use proper toilets not portaloos, etc? I'm not saying that's the way forward but do you see where I'm coming from?

As I said I'll pay in to Terenure because it's the biggest show of the season, and some of the proceeds go to charity. Also most of the cars you will see at other shows will be in Terenure anyway so why pay in to another?

By the way I am happy to pay in to any fund raising event if it is just that, a fundraiser where all the proceeds go to charity bar the expenses of putting on the event.

aujopimur

I agree with the comments/letters in Irish Vintage Scene, no exhibitors no event, the organisers are also charging the public too much for admission to events, I guess a family with a few kids would'nt have much change out of €100 after paying for admission overpriced food and rides.

Tigger

MCMLXXV wrote: »

By that train of thought if the majority of spectators are exhibitors then we are paying solely for the use of a field (so that non exhibiting enthusiasts can also pay to come in and look at our cars). Why not just organise meets in your local B&Q type complex for nothing and eat in comfortable surroundings not out of a van and use proper toilets not portaloos, etc? I'm not saying that's the way forward but do you see where I'm coming from?

As I said I'll pay in to Terenure because it's the biggest show of the season, and some of the proceeds go to charity. Also most of the cars you will see at other shows will be in Terenure anyway so why pay in to another?

By the way I am happy to pay in to any fund raising event if it is just that, a fundraiser where all the proceeds go to charity bar the expenses of putting on the event.

the ford boys in sligo do that then they go for a spin

Big Nasty

Tigger wrote: »

the ford boys in sligo do that then they go for a spin

Our own club do it regularly too - we're more about the driving than sitting up for hours! But that's different to an event open to all - maybe I've sparked an idea here?

jonnynitro

hi all jonny nitro here one of the sligo ford boys

tought id speak up here its true we dont charge for our show/run but we do pass a bucket around and hope for the best .

i for one would not be happy paying over the odds to show my car as i think that iv spent enough getting to a show with out forking out more money at the gate but if i seen the charity bucket at the gate id be happy to put money into it

NEVCC

I am not on the committee this year so these are my opinions and not does on the NEVCC club.
There is a far cry from a club organizing a local spin and a club running an event for all clubs with over a 1000 cars. As I have said many many times it cost over €30,000 to run our show and after the cost are covered we support a number of charities, this year with our show and other events we have raised over €25,000 for charity.
People are right without exhibitors there would be no show, but without the shows where else would you get to see that amount of cars in one place for a €10. I do agree there has to be value for money and I think we give that. If we relied on the public we wouldn’t cover our costs.
People don’t want much .
”A speedy entrance to the display area”
When you have 1000’s people you’re going to have queues.
“a decent hard surface to park on”
But you don’t want a field and you don’t want to pay for renting grounds
“an option to leave at any time i like without joining Joe public in an hour long tailback”
This is a free country, leave when you like nobody can stop you and that does is breaking the law.
“Decent food at a decent price but am tired of greasy chip vans at stupid prices.”
I agree food is overpriced, but we can’t set the price, we have a limited number of places that have the required insurance, HSE approved licences, food preparation licences and the ability to produce in the volumes required.

Maybe we are wasting our time and we should have no shows at all, we can all have our own little meeting and see the same cars. I don’t think people realise the time, effort and cost involved in putting on a decent show.

salysol

The last show i tried to attend was in DURROW .
a series of events occurred,i washed polished,vacumed etc ,to have the car gleaming in order to exhibit the car,to ensure i was doing my bit by attending with my 1975 mini,to ensure the show had another exhibit that the paying public could admire and tell their family and friends about the one they had as a youth ?anyway on route from Wexford,i got not 1 but 2 punctures,the second 1 cost me €100 euro.
then i ran out of petrol just shy of kilkenny,the fuel pipe had split fortunately i had a spare bit of pipe.
on we went again,arriving in Durrow i was informed by a very adament person that my car wasn't old enough,and i would have to pay €5 euro entry and park in the field along side the spectators cars.
i flatley refused told the individual to get all the traffic to back up so that i could get out of here,i was then told to turn inside the gate i refused to set a wheel inside.
to cut a long story short i went home vowing to never attend a classic event again,i was the bones of €180 out of pocket for an individual to tell me i couldn't display my car after all the effort i went to to support the show.
so as far as i'm concerned ,all classic/vintage attendes should be given royal privelages so to speak.
free entry,free food,free liquid refreshment,and be grateful for your attendance,which i can assure you they are not
if they charge go home cos as far as i and most would agree it's your time,money,effort thats being given in order that they have exhibits.
just my cents worth

shows can be a great way of meeting like minded individuals ,but greed tends to get the better of the organisers,also it is vital that any representitives involved in running a show should be able to differentiate between a classic/vintage and a modern car,a 99 mini is not a classic ?

vincenzolorenzo

salysol wrote: »

to cut a long story short i went home vowing to never attend a classic event again,i was the bones of €180 out of pocket for an individual to tell me i couldn't display my car after all the effort i went to to support the show.
so as far as i'm concerned ,all classic/vintage attendes should be given royal privelages so to speak.
free entry,free food,free liquid refreshment,and be grateful for your attendance,which i can assure you they are not

You're not being realistic at all here. First of all Durrow's charging situation was well advertised. The previous year a huge crowd came and they couldn't manage at all and it was a bit of a shambles really. I know because I was there. As a result they put restrictions on this year's entry to try and keep numbers more manageable. IIRC if you pre-registered your car you got in for free or maybe that was for pre-1970. Can't remember now.

And as for your petrol pipe woes, well thats completely irrelevant. That could happen at any time on any journey and the best phrase to sum it up is 'the joys of motoring'.

salysol

vincenzolorenzo wrote: »

You're not being realistic at all here. First of all Durrow's charging situation was well advertised. The previous year a huge crowd came and they couldn't manage at all and it was a bit of a shambles really. I know because I was there. As a result they put restrictions on this year's entry to try and keep numbers more manageable. IIRC if you pre-registered your car you got in for free or maybe that was for pre-1970. Can't remember now.

And as for your petrol pipe woes, well thats completely irrelevant. That could happen at any time on any journey and the best phrase to sum it up is 'the joys of motoring'.

yes i am aware of the joys of motoring ,but in saying that i could have just gone home after the pipe split,but i motored on .
this happened some years back,and was informed by friends there were a lot of very modern Minis ie in the 90s on display,probably a club.
so where does classic start ?
i do a motorbike show in Dublin/wexford,occasionally,and i organise a lot of charity bike runs anualy,normally i hand out sponsor cards and i am happy with whatever they raise on them as is the charity that benefits.
further all entrants are fed and watered 3 times on the run,tea and biscuits for the start/sandwiches and water at halfway mark/a sit down meal usually beef stew and spuds at finish , + plus they each have a chance to win a prize if they are lucky,at no cost whatsoever
as one lad commented he threw a score in the pot,where would u get a day out with mates and get fed 3 times for €20 ?

Ford4000

Well my views as a secretary of a club are
NOONE displaying a vehicle of any kind should be charged

I think some sort of food would be nice for our show we plan to do soup and sandwiches in the adjacent pub for all entrants who will recieve a voucher on the way in

We will supply some sort of momento of the day if its oly a handshake, thank you and a keyring sure isint it something !

On our road runs we have tea and biscuits in the morning, tea,soup and sandwiches in the afternoon and on the bigger run a BBQ in the evening

This does not cost a fortune when run well enough

I do however think that a donations bucket for charity would be aceptable, pay what you like !

galwaytt

MCMLXXV wrote: »

......Why not just organise meets in your local B&Q type complex for nothing and eat in comfortable surroundings not out of a van and use proper toilets not portaloos, etc? I'm not saying that's the way forward but do you see where I'm coming from?

Well, you can certainly try. I'm also quite sure that Dunnes/Tesco/B&Q/GTC won't be long breaking that up. Ask the 'modified' crews and they'll tell you. I'll go one better: did it not happen on this very forum, that a 'meeting' of boards.ie members were patrolled by a GTC car, in the car park, and asked 'where the race was ?' (iirc..........)

aujopimur wrote: »

I agree with the comments/letters in Irish Vintage Scene, no exhibitors no event, the organisers are also charging the public too much for admission to events, I guess a family with a few kids would'nt have much change out of €100 after paying for admission overpriced food and rides.

Well, I went to the Mosney show, and for our fee, we got in, a nice spot with the club, and we all got tea and a snack as well. And all for........€15? €20 ? can't remember. It costs more to bring just me and my 2x small people to the local swimming pool......and they don't give yo anything !

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Our own club do it regularly too - we're more about the driving than sitting up for hours! But that's different to an event open to all - maybe I've sparked an idea here?

It cost's nothing to try it out.

NEVCC wrote: »

Maybe we are wasting our time and we should have no shows at all, we can all have our own little meeting and see the same cars. I don’t think people realise the time, effort and cost involved in putting on a decent show.

....and if the show's disappear - and the interest is cyclical, btw........in 5 years everyone will wonder if there's more to a car meet than hanging at the local Topaz......

salysol wrote: »

so as far as i'm concerned ,all classic/vintage attendes should be given royal privelages so to speak.
free entry,free food,free liquid refreshment,and be grateful for your attendance,which i can assure you they are not
if they charge go home cos as far as i and most would agree it's your time,money,effort thats being given in order that they have exhibits.
just my cents worth

shows can be a great way of meeting like minded individuals ,but greed tends to get the better of the organisers,also it is vital that any representitives involved in running a show should be able to differentiate between a classic/vintage and a modern car,a 99 mini is not a classic ?

that is such nonsense I don't know where to start: but I will. First, 'free' isn't going to happen. You don't get 'free food' anywhere. For anything. Show's don't make money, in my personal experience (7 year's on the cttee). We do get abuse though, and spend many hours of our own time organising, phoning, emailing, printing, you name it. And for what ?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: you organise one and I'll come. And for 'balance', I won't hold back if it rains, either.

So - where/when, then ?

salysol wrote: »

yes i am aware of the joys of motoring ,but in saying that i could have just gone home after the pipe split,but i motored on .
this happened some years back,and was informed by friends there were a lot of very modern Minis ie in the 90s on display,probably a club.
so where does classic start ?
i do a motorbike show in Dublin/wexford,occasionally,and i organise a lot of charity bike runs anualy,normally i hand out sponsor cards and i am happy with whatever they raise on them as is the charity that benefits.
further all entrants are fed and watered 3 times on the run,tea and biscuits for the start/sandwiches and water at halfway mark/a sit down meal usually beef stew and spuds at finish , + plus they each have a chance to win a prize if they are lucky,at no cost whatsoever
as one lad commented he threw a score in the pot,where would u get a day out with mates and get fed 3 times for €20 ?

I drive a bike myself, and the local toy run cost 20, and you get soup etc - because IT'S SPONSORED by a bike-friendly pub. It's not the organisers that are charging for food at car meet's............