Anyone going to dukesfest??

[runningman]

I am going again, anyone else?

[Topher]

Do you know Steve Shuan?

[runningman]

i don't think so

[Charger1973]

Nope once was enough for me.  Driving around the track was fun.  Looking at the cars was cool too but it got old after a few hours. After that, I was bored out of my mind to be honest. 

[bull]

Is that the one where some douchebag decided that jumping a Charger was a good idea?

[runningman]

Nope once was enough for me.  Driving around the track was fun.  Looking at the cars was cool too but it got old after a few hours. After that, I was bored out of my mind to be honest. 

I had an okay time, we spend most of our time downtown at the bars/clubs.  It's turned into a guy's weekend for me and my buddy.  We get away from the kids and wives for a couple days..

[warriorbass05]

My whole family is going.

[JimShine]

No reason for me to go. I see mulitple General Lee's and Rosco police cars literally on a daily basis. I look forward to regular car shows these days. Seeing other Mopars and stock Chargers.

[TripleBlackGator]

Is that the one where some douchebag decided that jumping a Charger was a good idea?

Don't get me started. 

[Mike DC]

     
It's way too big & sold-out at this point, but I'm still going.  Mainly to see the friends, the cars, and the stunt show. 


The smaller "Dukes Day" event leaves a much better taste in my mouth for a bunch of reasons.  But I'm still a sucker for a live GL jump.

   

[runningman]

     
It's way too big & sold-out at this point, but I'm still going.  Mainly to see the friends, the cars, and the stunt show. 


The smaller "Dukes Day" event leaves a much better taste in my mouth for a bunch of reasons.  But I'm still a sucker for a live GL jump.

   

Was dukes day the dukesfest before it was dukesfest??

[BlueSS454]

I went once the last time it was in Bristol.  It happens to be the weekend before the National Chevelle Show in Nashville, so I made a week out of it and went down a little early to check out Dukesfest.  THe stunt show was 1.5 hours late which annoyed me.  There were a ton of people, it was hot as hell, and I got bored and had nothing to do for the 4 hours between when I was done looking at the cars and when the stunt show was "supposed" to begin.  Even though I am building a GL, I doubt I'll ever bother taking it there.

[skip68]

We are going.  I just hope it don't rain. 

[Mike DC]

 
"DukesFEST" is the huge event that Ben Jones has been setting up each June.  120,000 people last year.

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"Dukes DAY" is the Confederate GL fan club's own smaller event in Little Rock, Arkansas. 
It's a whole different operation from DF so killing Dodge Chargers is not part of the plan.

It's been held the last several years and will be held this year too.  It's gonna be later in the summer.
Many of the same TV stars are there, but it's a smaller deal.  Much more of a diehard fan thing.

 

[Chatt69chgr]

Be prepared for a really hot day.  And zillions of people.  The only things to do were to get autographs and look at the cars down at the track.  It's just about impossible to get an autograph.  The cars were somewhat interesting.  Most of the GL's were not restored to a high level of detail.  I saw paint right over rust, torn and broken interior items, etc.  A few were outstanding however.  Some of the car owners were interested in talking about their cars and some seemed annoyed by any questions but thats usually the case at any car show.  The best thing I found was to talk to the stunt men.  They had a couple of the guys that did the actual stunts for the original show there and they were really nice.  People were not lining up to get their autographs-----in fact, most there didn't seem to know who they were.  There are a few vendors there but about all they are selling are Dukes stuff-----as one would expect..  Everyone has a dukes t-shirt and dukes ball cap on.  It's pretty much nirvana for a Dukes fan.  If you are not one of those, you may be disappointed.  The show I attended was very poorly organized and the lines were incredibly long.  Best of luck to anyone that braves this show.

[THE COLONEL]

I will be there with my son, and of course..............The Colonel!!

[runningman]

 
"DukesFEST" is the huge event that Ben Jones has been setting up each June.  120,000 people last year.

-----------------------------------------------

"Dukes DAY" is the Confederate GL fan club's own smaller event in Little Rock, Arkansas. 
It's a whole different operation from DF so killing Dodge Chargers is not part of the plan.

It's been held the last several years and will be held this year too.  It's gonna be later in the summer.
Many of the same TV stars are there, but it's a smaller deal.  Much more of a diehard fan thing.

I was thinking the dukesday may have been the earlier version of the 'fest.  I was there last year, got some auto's and what not.  Did see some rigged up chargers down there but it was cool to see all those chargers together.  If it wasn't in Nashville we may not be going again but there is alot of fun stuff going on in that town.  At least when compared to Detroit 

 

[runningman]

As a side not, Hardcore is supposed to have their quarters down there.  I am going to check them out and take some pics for you guys

[Arkgl01]

I will be there with my car. It will be the ones with banner stands in front of it and a all chrome motor!

[BMOTOXSTAR]

In my house everyday is Duke Fest Day !

[Mike DC]

 
Yeah, nobody has ever accused DF of being very well-organized.  It's been getting better, but it seems like everything has to reach a rediculous point of aggravation before it gets addressed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--  Autographs:
I personally won't even try for cast autographs at DF these days.  It's a lot easier to run into some of those cast members at other smaller events they do if you're dead-set on getting autographs.  But DF is just too many people all waiting for the same cast members at once.

--  The Cars:
No different than most musclecar shows except that it's mostly orange '69s.  Some are as flawless as any Charger resto you'll ever see, and others are total heaps.  I'd guess that the "average" GL is a mostly-stock resto with decent fresh paintwork but mediocre small stuff, and it's been built for fun more than correct-ness.  There's usually a few real surviving GLs from the TV series mixed in with all the other replicas.  Keep an eye out.

--  The stunt guys:
They're a fun bunch.  Many of them have decades' worth of experience in that industry, and car stunts are a VERY small world.  Lots of stories about big-time TV/movies ranging from the 1970s all the way to present-day stuff.

--  Ski-car rides: 
These are cool if they're doing them again.  That's where you go for a brief ride in car that the driver is balancing on its side two wheels.  (No training wheels or tricks.  It's the real thing.)

--  Live car-stunt show:
The stunts definitely live up to how big & scary they seem on TV.  It's the highlight of the event if you find car stunts even halfway amusing.  But be warned:  The crew is gonna take a LONG time between each stunt.  (TONS of safety checks, fiddling with the cars, re-staking the ramps, etc.)  It's literally 15-20 minutes of waiting around for each 30-second stunt.

 

[warriorbass05]

I will be there with my son, and of course..............The Colonel!!

And here I was bringing the 1:25 Colonel for you to see that I built last year...

[THE COLONEL]

I will be there with my son, and of course..............The Colonel!!

And here I was bringing the 1:25 Colonel for you to see that I built last year...

I still do!

[skip68]

We went on Saturday and hooked up with the "Colonel",  (Great Guy, and his son was cool kid too,  our son had a nice time playing with him!) We were not able to bring our charger  as we needed at least another two weeks to get it done! But, crap happens! We'll be there next year and have the car looking perfect! (I hope)
Anyhow, I took a crap load of pics. (Lot's of the Colonel) so I will post them soon. I'll probably have to send them to Mike to post for us as our computer is going wacko!!!!!

Mrs.Skip68

[hemi-hampton]

Who's the Colonel? Colonel Saunders? 

[skip68]

Who's the Colonel? Colonel Saunders? 

[bad1032]

I was there for the motorcycle rally but went to Cooters, They had a large crowd for th car show outback, about 150 cars, some nice ones and some junkie ones , but they were there, didnt make it to the fairgrounds for the main event, It will be at the same place next year  and first weedend in june again, Then it goes up for bid to be moved,

[warriorbass05]

we went and had a great time....I have lots of cool car pics from the event....even one or two fo the Colonel

[THE COLONEL]

we went and had a great time....I have lots of cool car pics from the event....even one or two fo the Colonel

We went on Saturday and hooked up with the "Colonel",  (Great Guy, and his son was cool kid too,  our son had a nice time playing with him!) We were not able to bring our charger  as we needed at least another two weeks to get it done! But, crap happens! We'll be there next year and have the car looking perfect! (I hope)
Anyhow, I took a crap load of pics. (Lot's of the Colonel) so I will post them soon. I'll probably have to send them to Mike to post for us as our computer is going wacko!!!!!

Mrs.Skip68

....and it was a pleasure talking and finally meeting all of you.