Thanks for the support guys. I will see about later in the year when it cools down. 115 degree weather doesn't sound to fun on black top.

A car show at a dealership is a great opportunity. If I was running a car lot I'd do it on a day that the dealership was open. I would also have it set up so you can view the vehicles then have the food seperate to keep the food and vehicles from getting together ;/ I think I would tend to stay away from a bouncy castle, etc. Its about the cars, etc and every car show I've been to the kids love looking at the cars (for a certain period of time) and I think extra entertainment would kind of draw away from the car show.

Keep the ideas coming guys. Thanks for everyones input!

Z car show
 

Try a mix of free and registation events. The free events are to bring in anyone that wants to show their Z (space may be limited - so plan accordingly). The registation event are for the GRAND PRIZE & vendors items(suggestions: discount on new 370Z and/or NISMO 370Z/GTR parts, hats, shirts, etc, and other sponsor's items via raffles (donations). The donations go to sponsored charity and GRAND PRIZE). Our Z club holds the event in conjunction with a poker run ending up at the sponsoring Nissan dealership.

Weekends (Sunday) works best since the service area is typically closed. Time wise, it is an all day affair. Planning takes several months so as to not conflict with other car club events, holidays, etc.

The local Nissan dealership that sponsor's our Z Club helps pay for the food for registation persons (again for charity -ie right-off). The free participates have to pay to particapte in the raffles and food without participating in the poker run. The winner of the best time in the poker run wins various prices, discount coupons on local restaurants, NISMO parts, etc.

In this venue, the Z club has paying participated around 100 - 200

Having the event sponsored by local radio & TV is always a plus. TV stations like charity events to garner viewers.

Thursdays are motorcycle days at Hooters, I'll talk to the girls at the St.Peters location to see about a Z day.

Sounds like a great idea. If I lived anywhere near St. Louis I would go.

You may want to consider opening it up to all Nissan/Datsun cars. You will get some tuned out Sentra SE-Rs, GT-Rs, Maximas, and maybe even some tricked out Armadas. You might as well get as much attendance and promotion as possible.

I'm going to give it to you straight since I have been participating in shows for 12 years now.

1. What would be the best day to hold an event?

Saturday

2. Would you attend if it was free? (If the venue had better prizes and food would you pay?)

Yes to both

3. Would you attend if there was a registration charge to enter your car?

Yes if not to steep (meaning $10 max)

4. Would you attend if it was catered vs. non-catered.

This doesn't matter. Just have some kind of food available to provide or buy.

5. Marketing Ideas(local clubs,radio advertising,database mailer?)

All of the above plus flyers to hand out at other car shows preceding the date of your show.

6. Pre-registation
Yes

9. Kids games ( not sure what?)

Forget the kids games..this is an adult event...this is not a day care event. The cars are the center of attention not the kids of the owners and spectators. The last thing a car owner wants is some snot-nosed kid putting his greasy fingers on the cars or scratching the body of the car. And for God's sake, keep the kids with bikes off the lot. And turn away the adults who have to have their pet dog or cat with them 24x7. I once had some dumbass moron's German Shepard jump up the side of my Mustang Cobra and put a half-dozen claw marks down the driver's side door.

7. Prizes (Forgestar Wheels and accessories or something)

I'd rather see free dealer maintenance give-aways. How about the dealer giving something out of their pocket instead of relying on vendors for donations. Besides you dealers are getting a free ride on the coat tails of the car owners who are bringing in their cars to attract potential customers who are viewing the cars. That has got to be worth something...

8. How do you do the classes, by Model: example R34??

Works for other shows...but if you are going to do this then you better have true judging and judges who are qualified to judge and not someone who was just "deputized" a couple hours earlier with a quick hour boot-camp on judging basics.

9. Do people like this kind of stuff or am I wasting my time. Thought it would be fun.

Its fun if you are organized and know what you are doing. You want to avoid wasting the time of the folks bringing their cars especially if there is a registration fee invloved. And for God's sake make sure the judging is fair and NOT some "good-ole-boys" BS. Judge a car for its true heritage and natural look...not because some idiot has every conceivable piece of bling made for it on the car. This isn't some car costume jewelry show...its a car show.

And forget the band idea. Most car owners showing the cars don't want to have music jacked up in their ears. Either you are going to have a car show or you are going to have a rock concert. Pick one or the other. And if you have a DJ instead, you don't need sound towers to blast the music so loud that no one can hear themselves talk. We car owners don't appreciate having to loose our hearing any sooner than we have to.