Car show etiquette?

[lloyd3]

On the way to church yesterday morning, I noticed an abnormal number of "unusual" automobiles mixed in with the regular traffic. Sure enough, there were "car-show" signs at the local Hobby Lobby and the early birds were already setting up when we went by. We got home around 10:30 (from early services) and I mentioned it to my 10-year old. As luck would have it, I had cleaned the car off two days before (just a wet-cloth wipe down) so it didn't have too-much road grime. We headed up there after a quick post-church snack to see what was up. I initially just parked near the periphery because the entrance wasn't obvious, but as we were walking around, a highly-modified '56 Chevy pulled up to the cones a the end of the lot and somebody let them in. Figuring that the car would be marginally safer in the show than in the parking lot, I did the same. I popped the hood and trunk, picked up my wallet and cell phone, hung around for about 10 minutes of questions, and then hit the show with my boy. We never registered the car, never got a sign, paid for a burger and a bottle of water and wandered around until we got too-hot.  We then closed the hood, jumped in, and left.  It seemed to be OK, but today I'm wondering if what I did was kind of snotty. What is the expectation in these situations?

[F8-4life]

When you have the only charger at the show, you do whatever you want!

[familymopar]

I'm not sure if you are talking about the way you got in or that you left to go wander around once you were in.  Either way, I think what you did was just fine.  When you visit a particular show/meet for the first time there has to be some pretty good leeway.   You get in however you can get in and you go look at cars and talk to people.  Sounds just right to me.

[EccentricMagpies]

I asked the question at the front gate once....

He told me if you pay, only then can you vote for a car and be voted on... Otherwise feel free to park within the lot.

With my rough paint I have never received more than 2 votes, yet I won a trophy once.   
I only pay to see if I can set a personal record.

[JB400]

If you and your son had a good time, that's all that matters.

[RECHRGD]

Unless it's a very large and/or organized show, there should be no problem.  I don't much like having to sit behind my car all day anymore.  I tell the organizers that I will only be there for awhile, but they usually invite me to park anyway.  Whether or not you pay to be judged, your car will still draw more people in to by those hot dogs...

[1965gp]

We have a cruise every sat night that gets a good turnout and is safe for the cars (security) but it costs $10 to park there. No awards or anything like that. I go every couple of weeks and have no trouble paying because the group that puts it on does a good job and it's close to my house. I would have a hard time not paying because I know if everyone didn't pay they could not afford to put it on.

However- in the show you are talking about you were not competing and gave the spectators another car to look at. No harm done in my opinion.

[familymopar]

We have a cruise every sat night that gets a good turnout and is safe for the cars (security) but it costs $10 to park there. No awards or anything like that. I go every couple of weeks and have no trouble paying because the group that puts it on does a good job and it's close to my house. I would have a hard time not paying because I know if everyone didn't pay they could not afford to put it on.

However- in the show you are talking about you were not competing and gave the spectators another car to look at. No harm done in my opinion.

This is the same scenario here.  When I first started going a few years ago I did not even know it cost money and did not know there was an "entrance" per se.  I would drive in to the lot, go to the side where I liked to be for an easy early exit if I wanted/needed, and someone would always just move the cones for me to get where I wanted.  When I learned that there was a fee, I went up to the front booth, which I had seen but did not know it was for collecting money, explained to them that I had been doing this, paid, and got a sticker for my car.  They were very nice about it.  How are you supposed to know if you're the new guy I guess.  There is never any judging or anything like that so I figured it was just a free, well organized gathering.  Now that I know I am always happy to pay as it is a great cause and a great time.

Do you happen to be in the Houston area, 1965gp?

[FastbackJon]

I'm more of the type to show up for an hour and walk around without paying when it comes to these big all day $30 entry you get a T-shirt and voting and classes and trophies all that.

I'm not into the voting or trophies, I just like to look at the cars and have people look at mine and not spend all day doing it. So I won't pay the entry fee at those types as most of the money goes to the trophies and the club and the T-shirts and the door prizes that I don't care about.

When it comes to the scholarship car shows, where you enter to donate strictly to a scholarship or bring some food cans for the food bank, that's a different story. I know what the money is going to and I support it, even if I won't be there all day.

[BrianShaughnessy]

I go to some cruise ins where they want you to register for the weekly contest but you don't have to.    Others don't even worry about registering... they just pick cars they like and hand out a trophy and a gift ceritificate for a pizza.   
I might buy something to eat, and throw $5 at the 50/50 and generally don't worry about it.
I'm way over worrying about trophies or any of that crap.  I really only go to a few shows and those are local and support good causes for charity.

If it was a car show and I wasn't staying all day I'd probably stay parked outside the show area just so I didn't feel guilty about leaving when I wanted to.

FYI.  One of my pet peeves is people leaving during trophy presentations if they didn't win.

[1965gp]

Familymopar, we must both be talking about the Niftee Fiftee's. Car show. I love the fact that it is down the street (two lights from my neighborhood) so I support it. Rarely ever there for more than an hour or so- but don't want them to move it so I consider it $$ well invested! I wish they would go back to $5 and not worry about door prizes.

Starting to get a good turnout- do you usually take your charger and park in the back near sears? If so I think I have drooled on your car before... I am usually in a blue 70 Judge or a black and gold hard top TA.

[crj1968]

You're good man. I've put on a few shows and I'll let any classic pull in and park. If they want to be judged they'll register if not that's cool too.

I go to shows in my "beater" charger. It will never win a trophy but is always welcome to park amongst the trophy hunters.

[familymopar]

Familymopar, we must both be talking about the Niftee Fiftee's. Car show. I love the fact that it is down the street (two lights from my neighborhood) so I support it. Rarely ever there for more than an hour or so- but don't want them to move it so I consider it $$ well invested! I wish they would go back to $5 and not worry about door prizes.

Starting to get a good turnout- do you usually take your charger and park in the back near sears? If so I think I have drooled on your car before... I am usually in a blue 70 Judge or a black and gold hard top TA.

1965 gp, we are indeed.  Small world!  I am there almost every week.  My son and I go religiously if I am not out of town, sometimes the wife and my baby girl come too.  I am the only yellow 68 charger I have seen there in the years I have been going.  There is a black 68 restomod there sometimes, a blue 69 225, and a plum crazy 70 440+6.  I believe that is all the second gens I see there, semi-regularly anyway.

When I was talking about scooting in for free and parking out of the way I was talking about the old location.  At the new location I pretty much park wherever I am directed.   I have long since discovered that I am not leaving early.  I have parked back at the sears a few times but I go wherever I can.  Please do not hesitate to stop and say hello next time you see me there.  I am always there by about 7 and am usually very near last to leave.

I am actually in Cypress down basically at Spring Cypress and 290.  So the new location is a bit further for me, which is just fine, more driving time!

I believe I have pictures of your TA on my phone from a number of weeks ago actually.  So I'm gonna say it twice, stop by and say hello.  I love the people I have gotten to know there and always look forward to seeing everyone.

------

Ok I just spent a long time looking through photos looking for your TA and or Judge.  I did not find it but I know I have snapped the TA before.  Here are some photos I found instead.

They give out door prizes?

[familymopar]

A few more...

I keep waiting to see the purple 68 around.  My wife snapped that on the freeway last year.

[familymopar]

By the way, I apologize to lloyd3 for inadvertently hijacking the thread.  Hopefully the photos make up for it.

[Cooter]

I've always been of the mindset that the antique cars ARE the show, and shouldn't have to pay anything.
without us, no show. However, there will always be trophy hunters who will pay anything, buy anything they think they need to in order to put another $12.00 trophy in their backseat to prove come sell day, that all those trophies must mean their car is worth the inflated price they're asking.

Exceptions are benefits. I will contribute, but not when required. If asked, or implied, I usually kick in.

Also I think OP is ok as some car people aren't there for the same reasons. Some are what I call "quickies". Meaning, they get bored to quick.

Others show up first and leave last. They are the hardcore, make every cruise types. I fall in between.
especially if there are animals/small bratty kids/etc.

[Troy]

I go to car shows to look at cars. I wander around until I run out of stuff to see and then I leave. My dad and I typically get more enjoyment out of the drive to the show and home than we do standing in the sun. I don't pay for "cruise-ins". These are mostly informal and expect cars to enter and leave at random times. Most have some sort of gate or cones like you described with an attendant to keep errant cars from just driving in. Sometimes there may be participant door prizes (not really awards) but never a fee. If I go to a "show" (more formal with actual judges and awards), I'll gladly pay since most around here support a charity. I tell them up front that I'll only be there a while - certainly not until the awards are given out - and not to judge my car. Some insist on judging it any way. I don't think I've ever been to a local show with participant judging.

Troy

[Ghoste]

I'm a lot like too.  If its for charity or something like that, no problem.  If its a fundraiser for some local car "club" to sponsor their Christmas drunkfest, count me out.
I prefer driving my car to showing it anyway so I rarely even attend the weekly cruise night here.

[Stegs]

I think there are 2 different kind of car shows

1. a car show where you come and go as you like, you "show" your car to whoever wants to look at it. You have a good time talking to other car guys about their cars

2. a car show where you pay to get it, you car gets judged from top to bottom, people vote and you win/don't win a trophy


sounds like you went to show #1 (that's the kind most prefer)

IMO, cars shows are just that, a show with cars.....bring whatever and let people see it......if people want to judge it they can...but if they need me im usually buy the hot dog stand or the swap meet area.....

if they need me they will find me eventually!

[lloyd3]

I appreciate the insight Gentlemen, and the pictures. There's always more to know, it seems.

[bill440rt]

Lloyd, I think your actions were absolutely fine.

I think there are 2 different kind of car shows

1. a car show where you come and go as you like, you "show" your car to whoever wants to look at it. You have a good time talking to other car guys about their cars

2. a car show where you pay to get it, you car gets judged from top to bottom, people vote and you win/don't win a trophy

This seems to be the two broad categories, of course there are variations.

In my area you have your pick of the litter of cruise nights every night of the week, and there are more than 1 you can choose on any given night. Some give out little awards or door prizes, I rarely if ever register the car and go to just hang out & socialize with friends. That is the fun in it. I don't ever recall having to pay a fee to attend these. You can leave whenever you like.

Most local shows around here have an entry fee (usually around $20 bucks) which I don't mind paying if it goes to a charity. There is an affluent nearby town that holds a show once a year. I found out that the proceeds get pumped right back into the local town businesses. I don't attend that one anymore.

The fun part of shows is looking at cars, and hanging out with friends & meeting new people.

[nvrbdn]

we also have so many cruises and shows that you could be booked every weekend solid. and 3 or 4 cruises and shows to pick from every night. i generally dont cross the river to st. louis, so that shortens my list quite a bit.
     i enjoy the cruises the most because its just showing up, walking around and havijng a few conversations, then hit the road to cruise. we do have the MDA car show coming up in a couple weeks that i will do end to end. other than that, i rarely want to do the big shows. the small shows we have around here are 3-4 hours from start to finish and are participant/crowd choice voting. perfect length for me. the shows that start at 9 and do trophies at 4 are just too much for me. i go to them showing up just before registration ends, pay to show unjudged (usually 10 for show- 20 for judged)  and then leave when im ready to. i enjoy the experience, get to cruise the charger. get lots of thumbs up as im driving through town (my real trophy), then drive through KFC to order pot pies. (ok, just kidding about the pot pies.) more likely an ice cream at the local pull up and park ice cream joint.

[c00nhunterjoe]

My area is riddled with cruises. Every wednsday,friday, and staggered all day saturday. They are all free except for the 4th friday at the amish market. That one cost one dollar and the money goes to the amish for letting us use their facilities. It typicly draws 800-1000 cars. There is tons of food and drinks dirt cheap. The amish cruise is judged and 3 trophies go out but its picked by the amish so its always interesting to see who "wins" lol.

We have a ton of shows too. I attend based on entry fee because obviously im not going to win a trophy with my car...hahaha. the majority are 10-15 bucks and you get a goody bag with nearly that cost in prizes and a dash plaque so i dont mind the entry fee.

If you attended a true "show" then you may have been out of line but it sounds more like you attended a cruise so i wouldnt be too worried. Had it been a show, someone would have probably pointed out registration to you.
 

[myk]

That's interesting; what would the Amish know about cars?

[c00nhunterjoe]

That's interesting; what would the Amish know about cars?

Thats why its done that way. They pick what they like so the same car with the 100,000 restoration doesnt always win. Its a cruise, not a show. It draws cars from multiple states almost every time.

[nvrbdn]

sounds pretty neat to me. no pier pressure. unbias judges. 

[UH60L]

Well, here's my 

There seem to be 4 kinds of "car shows". 

#1) The spontaneous "lets all go here and hang out".  It's literally a modified version of "cruising the gut" / meeting up at the local burger joint.  Very informal, no loudspeaker, just a bunch of car people hanging out.  No rules to speak of, just show up and enjoy.

#2) The cruise-in.  An organized event, usually with a loudspeaker and/or sound system with music (usually oldies, sometimes nothing newer than 1965...).  Usually no trophies, but sometimes raffles / door prizes.  Beyond that, same as #1.

#3) The car show.  Typically put on by a car club.  Always a fee if you want to compete for a trophy.  Sometimes a small fee to do "display only", but usually free.  Judging is usually done by members of the host club and/or by the paying participants of the show.  Usually includes food booths and car parts vendors.  These shows are typically open to any car that shows up, but some are not very open to modern cars, the old cars are the focus of the show.

#4) The concourse car show.  This is the high end, money talks, if your car isn't damn near perfect and in a trailer - don't even bother to register, the judges are specific people with an actual list of things that get looked at, many of us will never have anything good enough to go to one,  car show.  There are, to my knowledge, none of these shows in the city where I live, and only a couple in the whole state.  I've attended as a spectator and quite frankly, it just wasn't as fun as a #1,2, or 3.

There are a few #1s and #2s around here, and several #3s.  My mopar club puts on an all mopar #3 every year but we allow other makes/models to attend with the understanding that they will be display only and not competing for a trophy.  Very few ever show up.  We get a few display only mopars, usually because they show up late (around noon).

In my experience, no matter what #3 show you go to, winning a trophy is either pure luck or pure pre-picked.  There are some very, shall we say, shady car clubs out there when it comes to this.

I always entered my '69 charger as "under construction" when it was still drivable.  At one show, a member of the club that was hosting it arrived with a completely restored 55 or 56 car that was only missing the back bumper.  He had an accident backing out that morning so he took the bumper off and they let him enter as under construction.....and he won the trophy. 

I don't mind paying $15 or $20 to a car show if the money is going to charity and if I have a legitimate shot at winning.  I don't know of any car clubs around my area that do the whole "lets all go get drunk" thing.  I rarely go to any shows now though because the old charger is not running and the new challenger is...well...a new challenger...