How to do a Corvette show?

**Rich Z** · 10-10-2006, 03:01 PM

OK, I'm going to show my ignorance here, so please bear with me.

Now, I have attended "shows" of various types, so I'm not completely lost in the woods. But they have been different from what I would guess a Corvette show would be like. Been to lots of gun shows as a walk in, and also done a bunch of reptile shows where I was a vendor. And of course, the obligatory craft shows and antique glassware shows that my wife has an interest in.

But with my work load gradually diminishing, I am thinking I want to go to some of the various Corvette shows around the state, and quite honestly, I don't know what to expect. When you register for a show, what are you actually registering FOR? What's the difference between someone bringing their Corvette as a registrant and one who just came to visit and mingle?

If you register, are you locked at the show for the duration? And what do you actually DO there?

Do most people actually spend the night at a local motel? If so, what is the crowd like at the motel? Reason I ask this is because at many of the reptile shows we have been vendors at, the wife and I soon learned that many of the vendors staying at the motels will set up a wet bar in their rooms and have parties all night long. This is all well and good, unless you are in the room NEXT to one of these all night parties.... So we learned to stay ANYWHERE but the host hotel, whenever possible.

And are there any particular "do"s and "don't"s to be aware of at a show? I remember reading an account whereby some kid pulled the mirror off of a vette by hanging onto it to try to see inside the window. All while the doting parents looked on without a comment. So are there cases of justifiable homicide within the confines of a show?

Anyway, I guess what I am doing is soliciting advice and opinions from those members here who are well experience with the shows to give me (and perhaps others) a heads up on what to expect and plan for in an event of this nature.

So, I would appreciate some help here!

Thanks.........

zzzona · 10-10-2006, 03:17 PM

Lots of good questions....I have been to a few shows, but only entered 1...Reason being they usually won't allow you to leave until the show has ended..( there is a show in Silver Springs on Sat. and it states on the registration form you cannot leave until 5 p.m.) Now this time of the year that may be o.k. but when it is 100 degrees in the summer it takes some of the fun out of it. The parties I have seen at some of the hotels usually take place out in the parking lot near the cars...Also I find that if you get enough cars headed to the show from the same location the caravan is the most fun I have..JMO..

JIM KILL · 10-10-2006, 04:28 PM

YOU HAVE TO PICK YOUR SHOWS VERY CAREFULLY!

WE AT “TBV’S” HAVE 20 TO 30 CARS SHOW UP FOR AN EVENT AND WE CAN HANG OUT TOGETHER MOST OF THE DAY. IF YOU JUST GO ALONE IT CAN BE A LONG DAY IN THE HEAT.

MOST OF US ASK EACH OTHER WHAT ARE THE BEST SHOWS TO ATTEND. DOES THE SHOW HAVE MUSIC, FOOD, DOOR PRIZES, GOOD TROPIES AND LOCATION OF SHOW ETC.

I DON’T WANT TO MENTION ANY SHOWS, BUT I HAVE ATTENDED ABOUT 10 THIS YEAR AND ABOUT 75% OF THEM WERE DOGS!!...I WON’T ATTEND AGAIN.

YOU REALLY NEED TO ASK PEOPLE WHAT SHOWS ARE GOOD AND THE ONES YOU WANT TO AVOID.

I AM PUSHING THE TAMPABAY VETTES SHOW "ULTIMATE CORVETTE PARTY" AS ONE NOT TO MISS!!!

WHY?

BREAKFAST SERVED
LUNCH SERVED
LIVE MUSIC-ALL DAY
PARKING LOT SHOW AND CLEAN ENVIROMENT
VALVE COVER RACES
GREAT GOODY BAGS
50/50 DRAWINGS ALL DAY
TONS OF DOOR PRIZES
QUALITY SHIRTS
A TON OF VENDORS
TENTS TO GET OUT OF THE HEAT
400 CORVETTES TO LOOK AT ALL DAY
ANDY PILGRIM SIGNING STUFF OR YOUR CAR HOOD
30 “TBV” STAFF HELPING ALL DAY
A QUALITY HOTEL WITH PARTY THE NIGHT BEFORE SHOW
SUNDAY BRUNCH THE DAY AFTER SHOW AT HOTEL

THIS IS WHAT MAKES A GREAT SHOW!!!!!

**Rich Z** · 10-10-2006, 06:37 PM

Well I still feel like I am missing something important.

So let me get this straight. A "registrant" pays money to register for a show. A "registrant" then has to show up at the show, park their car, and leave it there for the duration.

I guess the primary question in my mind is WHY?

Unless someone has a limited edition Corvette, or something that would be considered unusual or rare enough where it would be possible to win a prize, why would someone like I, with pretty much a plain vanilla 2002 EB Z06 (rock dings on hood and all) want to register and be nailed down all day? Yeah, I can appreciate getting around and talking with people and seeing all the other Corvettes, but after a few hours of that, I'm about wore out and ready to go somewhere else for a change. Heck, I go to gunshows with up to 500 tables or so, and after a couple of hours, I've had enough. When I do reptile shows, yeah I am stuck there behind the tables for two days, but I am selling stuff (hopefully) and have incentive to do so.

Honestly, I've look at a bunch of pictures of various shows, and I notice a lot of people bring their own chairs and try to find a shady spot. Not really admitting to being a work-a-holic, but not sure I could do that without going stir crazy.

So this all just sounds illogical to me and I am sure I am missing something that is obvious to a lot of other people. So in a nutshell, I guess my question boils down to "Why should I register rather than just parking nearby and walking in to view the show?"

The ONLY Corvette show I have ever been to was one here in Tallahassee at Champion Chevrolet last year right before I bought mine. Maybe two dozen vettes there, as I recall, with most of the people just milling about or sitting near their car. The wife and I walked around, spoke with a few of the people, test drove a 2004 (I think) that was at the dealer's, and then left. All total maybe 2 hours there.

Man, I really hope this doesn't ruffle anyone's feathers over this query, as it is not really meant in that light. I just don't want to register for a show, then find out I really didn't have those incurred obligations in mind when I did so. Obviously enough people do this that I just have to conclude I am not seeing the whole picture.......

Oh yeah, and what the heck do you do if it rains?

**Rich Z** · 10-10-2006, 09:09 PM

Maybe I need to rename the title of this thread. It may not be coming across as I had intended it. I felt the title of "Corvette shows for dummies" would be a take off of the "for Dummies" books that are everywhere. But perhaps it sounds derogatory, when I really did not mean it that way at all.

2Vettes · 10-10-2006, 10:49 PM

Well, let's see. Why should you register for a show and not just drop in and walk around? Good question. I've done both. I guess you just get to know which shows you want to spend the day at and which you want to pass through and move on. One thing I will say is, I don't go to a show that I can't leave when I'm ready. At the St Armands show in Sarasota, I never park inside the circle. And, I'm not going to the Silver Springs show. I guess if you drive a "regular" corvette like mine, the registration mainly gets me a nice place to park so I don't have to walk far and can be near my car and my cooler and my chair, etc. The Ultimate Corvette Party with the TBV is a really nice show as Jim mentioned. We've gone the last 3 years. We register, get there early, stay through lunch and leave shortly after. We know we're not going to win anything, but it's nice seeing people we met the year before and just being around the cars and the people who share our love of them.
I've been to NCCC shows where the focus in on how clean you can get your vette. I've won a few trophies and had fun. But, that's a whole nother topic when you get into that kind of judging vs people's choice, etc.
So, I think the answer to your question of "Why" is going to be have to be based on your personal feelings about the shows you go to. If you go to shows as a spectator and start wishing you had your own vette there for people to stop at and look at and have kids say "oh, I like that one" and have people ask you dumb questions that you answer about the corvette and listen to others tell you about vettes they have and watch the looks on people's faces as they admire your car and hear them saying to each other how they would love to own one....it goes on and on. These are things you take away from the shows and remember and it's why I go back and sit and tour and visit and sit some more and enjoy the moment.
Now, if that isn't a long winded answer, I don't know what would be.

JIM KILL · 10-11-2006, 06:41 AM

LET’S TRY IT THIS WAY:

I GO TO SHOWS TO MAINLY TO SUPPORT MY CLUB.

MOST SHOWS HAVE TROPIES FOR THE CLUBS THAT HAVE THE MOST ATTENDED FROM THAT CLUB. WE AT “TBV’S” MOST OF THE TIME WIN THAT AWARD IF IT’S A LOCAL SHOW OR WITHIN 50 TO 100 MILES. THE VENICE CLUB USUALLY IS RIGHT THERE WITH US WITH A LOT OF VETTES.

I ENJOY SITTING AROUND WITH OUR GROUP AND TALKING “TRASH” ALL DAY AND IT’S A WAY OF JUST GETTING AWAY FOR THE DAY. YES YOU CAN GO AND PARK OUTSIDE THE SHOW, BUT ITS REALLY A PERSONAL CHOICE OF YOURS.

YES, SOME SHOWS KEEP YOU PARKED AT ALL, BUT THAT’S NOT THE NORM. ST.ARMAN’S SHOW FOR EXAMPLE IS IN THE PARK AND SPACE IS VERY LIMITED, SO THEY PACK US IN AND ITS DIFFICULT TO GET YOUR CAR OUT. I DO THIS SHOW BECAUSE MY WIFE LIKES TO GO SHOPPING ALL DAY….SO ITS NOT A PROBLEM FOR ME.

WEATHER PLAYS A PART ALSO....I WON'T DO A SUMMER SHOW, IF I KNOW THERE IS NO SHADE AROUND OR I CAN'T FIND RELIEF IN A MALL OR CAR SHOWROOM NEARBY. IF IT RAINS...YOUR CAR WON'T MELT!!!

YOU ALSO NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR A SHOW, SUCH AS BRINGING CHAIRS, DRINKS AND MUNCHIES. OUR CLUB BRINGS TENTS WITH US TO BEAT THE HEAT ALL DAY. (BRING YOUR CLEANING SUPPLIES TOO!)

YOU REALLY NEED TO JUST MAKE THE CHOICE FOR YOURSELF “TO SHOW OR NOT TO SHOW”.

I JUST BELIEVE IF YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL CORVETTE, YOU SHOULD SHOW IT OFF. IT’S LIKE HAVING A BEAUTIFUL WIFE OR GIRLFRIEND….WHAT’S THE USE IN HAVING HER AROUND, IF YOU CAN’T SHOW HER OFF TO YOUR PEERS”.

MADN3SS · 10-11-2006, 10:35 AM

Rich, I've entered in to 3 shows this year and was able to leave early each time. Shows are usually on Saturdays and with my work schedule it's impossible for me to do it any other way. Not sure I could stay around all day if it's hot, but I enjoy talking with fellow Corvette owners. You get to show your car and it's modifications. Eating is always enjoyable. I love taking pictures of all the cars. It's one of my favorite things.

Even if you don't register for the show, you should make your way down to the Ultimate Corvette Party in November. It's the one I'm most looking forward to. I should also be at the Corvettes In the Sunshine in Crystal River in March. It's definitely a good way to get to know fellow members and promote the site.

JIM KILL · 10-11-2006, 11:44 AM

GREAT JOB!!!

**Rich Z** · 10-11-2006, 01:10 PM

Yeah, my game plan is to try to get out to some of the shows around, so I want to know what I am in for before I make the plans. Some of you guys also mentioned a CorvetteFlorida show as a possibility, so this background info might come in handy. But I think I am a LONG way from considering trying to run a show myself, if ever. With my regular business and all this internet stuff I do, I am afraid that last shred of sanity I have left (I think..) would evaporate.