Do you like to host car shows or help make them happen? Car shows and exhibitions are a big deal for enthusiasts and collectors. About 11 million people attend auto shows every year, and some of those shows draw large crowds. Other shows aren’t advertised nationally and draw a smaller local crowd. Either way, if you want to host a car show, whether you’ve been doing it for a while or it’s your first time, the following tips will help make it a success.
- Serve light (limited) alcohol
A little alcohol can make people feel good, even if it isn’t enough to make them tipsy. If people are going to spend the day at your car show, serve a little alcohol. To limit liability, give everyone of legal age one token they can exchange for a drink and stamp their hand to prevent people from consuming more than one beverage.
As for the drinks, serve smaller drinks, like half shots and miniature cocktails. You can also set the cut-off time for getting alcohol to be a few hours before the show will be winding down.
- Have amazing food
Every event hosted outdoors needs to have amazing food. People are going to show up to your car show expecting tasty meals, side dishes, and snacks, so don’t disappoint. Barbecue is perfect, and it’s also easy to cook right on the spot. All you need is a barbecue grill and a grill master.
Food can make or break your car show more than the vehicles. For instance, people are more likely to enjoy a small show with just a handful of common classic cars when the food is good. Low-quality food, or no food at all will diminish the experience even when the cars are super rare collector’s items.
Eating tasty food at an event enhances a person’s experience by releasing endorphins and serotonin, which elevates their mood. If you’re going to host a car show, make sure to provide food that makes people feel good.
- Have an expert booth
One thing that can make your car show fun and useful is having a booth with an expert to share tips and tricks for restoration and/or repairs. Some people will love hanging out at the booth talking to your expert, so make sure it’s someone who enjoys long discussions.
Who you staff will depend on the type of cars you’re showing, but in general, get someone knowledgeable and if possible, make it someone known to your community because that can get more people to show up to your event.
- Allow auctions and sales
Some car shows are only meant to showcase collectors’ vehicles, but why not allow people to auction off or sell their vehicles? It would be a win-win for everyone since you’d be providing them with a captive audience and you can require them to give you a cut of the sale.
- Sell licensed gear
You can make some sweet sales by offering licensed merch at your car shows. However, you’ll need to get permission from the trademark owner(s) and a resale license if you want to buy the items from a distributor without paying sales tax. If you don’t get a resale license, you’ll end up paying double the sales tax, first to the distributor and again to the state when you sell your items. If you don’t get a resale license, you can’t collect sales tax from your customers so don’t skip this step.
Whatever types of cars you’re showing, that’s the merch you’ll want to sell. It isn’t hard to get a license to sell official merch, but make sure you get permission and all appropriate licenses.
- Host vendors
Even if you’re hosting car shows purely for love, it’s always a good idea to host vendors. Not only will vendors pay you for a spot at your show, but they’ll offer additional activities and products to your customers, which can significantly increase attendance.
Your shows are a great business opportunity for local businesses, so get some flyers and advertisements out there to get some bites. You can charge vendors by the day or for the whole weekend if you have a multi-day event. Most relevant businesses would love the opportunity to be a vendor when they know there will be plenty of attendees.
Make your next car show unforgettable
Whether you host a live band, offer tasty barbecue, or bring in a sought-after expert, make your next car show amazing. People will drive miles just to attend even the smallest show, so don’t underestimate the potential for attracting a decent crowd.