There are roughly 5 million collector cars in the United States. This creates a huge opportunity for hosting a local car show.
It sounds easy, line up several cars, play some music, and hand out some trophies. But there’s so much more that goes into planning a car show.
You need to read this guide before you start planning. Otherwise, you risk hosting a car show flop.
Set the Details
To get started, you need to decide the basic details of your events. This means deciding on a theme, choosing a date, and selecting a location.Also its a good idea to opt for some kid entertainment, so the parents can look at the cars alone, so consider a bouncy castle rental or something similar.
The Theme
What kind of car show do you want to host? This is important because you’ll want to attract the right car owners and enthusiasts to your show. Here are some ideas to help you get started
- Trucks
- Classic cars
- Antique cars
- Muscle cars
- Imports
- Motorcycles
- All-inclusive
The Date
Don’t blindly choose a date on the calendar. It needs to be far enough in advance to give people a warning so they can plan to go. You also want to make sure that it doesn’t conflict with other major events.
Location
There are two strategies you can take when choosing your location. Some show locations offer plenty of space, such as empty fields, airfields, golf courses, or convention centers. The trade-off for the ample space is that there tend to be fewer amenities.
You could opt for a parking lot. These tend to limit your space for cars, but you could choose one near plenty of amenities, such as shops and restaurants.
Do the Hard Work
Once you know when and where you want to have your car show, it’s time to do the not so fun part. You’ll need to get permission to host your event. Talk to the property where you want to host your event and get their approval in writing.
Then get your permits from the local government. It’s also smart to let the local law enforcement know you’ll be hosting an event.
Advertise
Now that you have all of the details in place, you need to let people know about your event! Advertise your event through the channels that your intended participants use.
Communicate with local clubs and invite them to participate. Create an event page on Facebook and promote it. You could create flyers to put up in the community. There are plenty of brochure templates available to make designing your marketing materials easier.
If you have the ability, talk about your event on the local radio. Or you could have an ad in the local newspaper.
Try communicating with local dealerships. Some are staffed by car enthusiasts and would be happy to participate. You may even negotiate a sponsorship where the dealership has some cars at the show.
Host a Local Car Show
By following these steps, you can set yourself up for success with your own local car show. Start by setting the basic details, then getting all of the permissions you need. Finally, advertise like crazy to get the word out.
Check out the event coverage section of our blog for ideas to help you plan your car show.
