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PAYING to show your tractor

S

sgtbull

Member
I was told by a buddy that the Jacksonville, Il. Prairie Heritage show either is going to, or is at least contemplating CHARGING you to show your tractor!
I've thought about going to that show, as it isn't a terrible long ways away, but if that's the case, NO WAY!
I was a founder of a club in southern Il. and we've never even discussed that idea, as it is ludicrous. I can't see how any show, that charges people to SEE the tractors WE bring, could justify CHARGING us to "make their show."
If Jacksonville is going to do that, I'd boycott that show without a second thought.
Does anyone know if that's true? How many other shows have that practice?
 
I wouldn't go. Our local car club, invites tractors, for a fee. There are about 3 or 4 tractors a year. I WON'T take any.
Dennis
 
I used to show cars approx. 20 years ago, and it was commonplace to pay to enter and show a vehicle. Spectators got in to view free, except for the very large shows, where those charged both for the spectator, and the vehicles entered. I guess I am not surprised as I have spent a lot of money just to display vehicles back when. I can recall spending as much as $500 over the course of a weekend in fuel, food, lodging, entry fee for the car, etc just to display a car, and try to win a trophy which in some cases ended up being a popularity contest (popular, and/or rare cars seemed to always win the award).
 
at our show we are charged an admission fee which i dont agree with. sure charge the spectators but not the entry's. thats my argument also , why do i have to pay to show my tractor?, espesially when your a club member!
 
(quoted from post at 12:56:40 11/17/11) I was told by a buddy that the Jacksonville, Il. Prairie Heritage show either is going to, or is at least contemplating CHARGING you to show your tractor!
I've thought about going to that show, as it isn't a terrible long ways away, but if that's the case, NO WAY!
I was a founder of a club in southern Il. and we've never even discussed that idea, as it is ludicrous. I can't see how any show, that charges people to SEE the tractors WE bring, could justify CHARGING us to "make their show."
If Jacksonville is going to do that, I'd boycott that show without a second thought.
Does anyone know if that's true? How many other shows have that practice?
Click to expand...

I can see charging a fee if they're giving most of it back as cash prizes for best tractor etc. As long as it's done in a fair way.
 
I've attended that show several times but never to show a tractor. I don't mind the cover charge as a spectator but sure wouldn't pay to bring my tractor. It's a hundred dollar bill minimum to haul the tractor and I'm not far away. Thought about showing next year. Guess I'll watch and see what happens.
 
I would never show if, I had to pay. Usually tractor shows are different then car shows as there is no prizes awarded. Frankly I don"t care about the prizes.
 
Well it doesn't seem right but shows aren't doing as well as they used to..saturation point..and they need to make money to keep going.Some shows in our area used to give entrants a few gallons of gasoline for their tractors for parading and using them for demonstrations..that's all gone by the wayside too.There's a few shows around here that have folded up,ones that still operate see dwindling crowds and greater costs.Car shows have been mentioned,the ones I go to charge entry fees of anywhere from 5 to 15 dollars,they usually have some prizes to hand out randomly from your entry ticket,some trophies etc. I guess its a sign of the times
 
Our local clubs (We belong to both)dont charge-either way.Instead we have several "Your Donation Keeps this Show Free"cans scattered through the grounds.We figure if we charged,nobody would come!And besides,we are there to have fun-not to make money.Both our clubs are"flush",people are generous with donations and some people(mostly club members)donate directly to the club.
 
This exact issue came up for us in Central California a couple of months ago. The town organizes a Pumpkin fair every year. Vendors, cars, food, live music…etc. The city approached us for antique tractors. We agreed. A few days later they said there was an entry fee for each tractor. We told them “thank you very much, but we will not be bringing our tractors”. They ended up finding a sponsor and begged us to come. We did and it was fun! They even issued trophies. So now we feel a bit guilty.

Like the car guys, I think this practice might gain steam and become more common. If the fee’s are reasonable I would probably participate. When you see the faces of those children and admiring adults it makes it “all” worth it. What we do is almost an art and I believe we need to keep it alive for generations to come. We will be there next year and sponsor ourselves.
 
One of the biggest Steam and Tractor shows in the midwest at Rollag, Mn everybody pays. Not to show but an admission charge.
 
Here's how it works for the 3 shows I attend and have had tractors at:

National Threshers Reunion, Wauseon, Oh: No charge to "show", but $5 admission per day. Only members can show, which membership is IIRC $10 or $15 for the year, and free admission for the weekend. It's been a few years since I took a tractor there, things may have changed.

Thompson's Plow Day, Riga, MI: No fees whatsoever, but he's got sponsors and vendors covering his advertising and insurance bills.

I'm pretty sure that the Farmer's Antique Tractor and Engine Assn. of Adrian, Mi is no charge to Exhibitors, small gate fee for people to visit. It's been a while since I took a tractor up there, too.

On one hand, who will pay for the insurance costs and other miscellaneous if the people with the tractors there don't? By charging everybody there something small, the costs will be low for everyone involved. On the other hand, you're right, it sucks to bring a tractor and "Make their show" and fund them, too.

As long as the fees involved are low, It won't deter me. "Pay to Play" is the rule, rather than the exception, these days. JMHO
 
The Vermont Settlement Days in Orland Indiana decided to charge entries for the parade this year. I typically have in the past been a part of this event as well as my father. This year I refused to pay as its been free in the past and it gives us a chance to warm up the tractors on the 1.5 hour drive to get there. I figure if they want me to pay to entertain their crowd, I'll pass and entertain my neighbors. Maybe they will have a change of heart, but if not, I won't be there.
 
I know for a fact at the Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant IA every year they do charge, but you get free camping. At our local show you get free admission if you bring equipment/horses.
 
At our local show here in Goessel, KS we in a way PAY people to be exhibitors as we give them a couple of free meal tickets and entrance passes. All together this is a $20 value. Regular attenders pay $5 for an admission button good all weekend. As others have said, to charge exhibitors seems like double dipping: charge the exhibitors to bring their stuff then charge the people that come to see it.
 
I, don't know what the Jacksonville show is like, if it's independent or part of another organization so I'm not qualified to remark about it. I was on the board of directors at a show for a little over twenty years and I can tell you, it does cost a LOT of money to run a show.

Our show is a totally independent organization that relies on gate fees, food sales and contributions for it's lifeblood and we have three days out of the year to collect the gate fees and food income, the only two immediate and sure sources of income. The grass still grows whether it's show time or not, the phone company charges us commercial rates, meaning MUCH higher, since we are a 'commercial'show. Electric bills are tremendous for about two weeks due to the large amount of refrigeration, land costs, fuel, new buildings, entertainment, advertising, the sound system. The insurance premiums went through the roof after 911. That one bill alone trippled, and only a handful of insurance companies if even that many, carry coverage for events like a threshing show. The list goes on-and-on.

We've never charged exhibitors because we feel they are guests who have already spent quite a bit of money just bringing their exhibit to the show. Would you charge your guests when they come to your house for supper? Nuff said! Jim
 
A couple of shows in MD/PA have membership to cover insurance, but a couple of tractor pulls on the grounds are free and some you pay. But at the show you get in free with the membership. One of my local fair pulls charged to bring in tractors for a tractorpull. I usually spent around 200.00 for the 3 day event, which went to the local fire department but when they charged us admission my tractors stayed home and a whole lot of other people stayed home as well. It cost a lot of money to fix fuel and haul them so they can put on an exibition, without us they don't have a show which they found out.
 
In our area if you have something to show you get in free. Likely it's to pay for or offset the cost of insurance. That was always an issue for us as the VFD when we did fundraiser was buying insurance. The rule is to C.Y.A. these days.

Beyond that there's two ways to look at:

One is that it is B.S. since you are bringing your wares to draw a crowd and potentially generate income for whomever is sanctioning the event.

The other is to take a broad view of the cost and absorb it as part of the overall cost of an enjoyable hobby. Think of it as paying "rent" for a neutral ground where you and your buddies can enjoy some tractor fellowship or something like that.

Which view we take a lot of times depends on how tactful the organizers are and if they explain why they need that money.
 
Not going to a show where they charge me to display
my equipment. It is enough cost just to keep it
running and get it there. Our club does not even
charge the public admission. We sold adds in the
show guide to cover expenses.
 
Here in central iowa the local tractor shows dont charge exhibitors. But i also have classic cars and most of the car shows charge an entry fee because they give away trophys,t shirts, etc.I prefer the fun shows,that are not judged and dont charge. Jim
 
here in Denver, Colorado, some car shows charge to show, some charge admission/or per car load, where most of there money goes for some type of charitable cause....as far as tractor shows, some are mixed in with other shows that have a variety,,,and money usally go for the same things....some times i should charge them for showing tractors,,,,by the time i haul them to a show and a full tank of diesel, I'm loosing money,,but it for the love of tractor's...
 
They charge admission whether you have a display or not so in effect they do not charge for showing anything but they sure do charge a bunch if you want a booth to sell anything but no charge to bring your tractor.
 
I don't take tractors to a show to "make money for the organizers" I go so the spectators can see my tractors. And that takes money. I can cover my costs of transporting, food, lodging, etc. But somebody has to cover the costs of the show. If gate receipts are not enough it has to be made up some other way.
 
The Kansas State Fair gives out passes (at least I don't think they were paid for) to anyone showing an antique tractor the second weekend of the fair... I drove a '37 Allis WC in for a friend this past fair and had a pass with me. Will also be driving it in the "Christmas Parade" tomorrow.
 
A lot of shows are mostly for the collectors. They don't really try to attract spectators. It's mostly to get together and hang out with your tractor buddies and show off.

Somebody's still gotta pay for the resources it takes to put on the show. If it works out that everything can be lined up through donations, that's great.
 
Northeast Indiana at LaGrange doesn't charge. At wauseon you have to be a member, and I don't object to that at all. I'm sure not in favor of charging exhibitors, nor am I in favor of awarding prizes and ribbons, etc. All you end up doing is rewarding the guy that has money. The guy just starting out with a common tractor, maybe not totally correct, or restored to perfection needs to be encouraged to continue with the hobby. Prizes and ribbons don't do that. Just my opinion.
 
Our club members pay dues. We hold an auction each yr and get a percentage of that. We have a flea market, food vendors and a toy show. We do charge at the gate for the general public. We allow ANYONE displaying a tractor, engine, implement, or most anything of interest, to come in free with their entire family. We also allow kids under 14 to come in free.
We're not a gigantic show, but we are a nice show and we've been able to pay our bills every year, and have a little left over for improvements to our building. Never charged anyone to display a tractor and doubt we ever will.
 
Well, for the most part, I am not a fan of paying to bring my tractors to put on display. however, consider this. I have paid a couple of times, when the parade or show was to benefit a fire department or similar. The fee I paid basically was for a printed T-shirt of the event and also for the insurance premium. For a "spectators pay to enter" show, I will not pay a fee to show. however, if for a benefit event, I don't have issues paying a fee.

Everyone doesn't have to agree with me, but they are 2 different situations. So, to paint a broad stroke in my mind, not all situations are the same......
 
In McHenry ILL we have a tractor show called Tractors for Charity it is to raise money for the local food pantry, we used to charge a small fee not much at all I can't remember but no complaints but now have went to donations instead for exibiters or spectatos and thats much easier and made about $10,000 dollors this year.
 
I don't understand why people are crying about paying to show their tractors. If there is to be a charge to show tractor, it is up to the show personel. If there is a charge to show and you don't want to pay, leave tractor at home and quit crying about it!

Bob
 
Do you guys realize that the emblems and logos on your tractors are advertising that YOU are paying for? You don't seem to mind that...

Every IH and Farmall is an advertisement for International Harvester, and by extension CaseIH. Better start peeling those decals off your H's and M's boys.

After you get done with that, don't forget to remove all the logos from your vehicles and clothing, because you're paying to advertise those brands too.
 
I don't show tractors. First place I spend enough time on a tractor during the week most of the time that I feel no need to spend free time on em, but I have been to the Rollag and Dalton Mn show a few times. Dalton is about 20 iles and Rollag about 60. In both cases they are non profit clubs. All the monies made are dumped into the grounds, club owned equipment and chairities and or scolarships to the best of my knowledge.

That means most of the members are interested in preserving these things and showing others how they were done. Most of these guys are willing to spend both money and time to keep it alive. They invite others to show their tractors to make the show better. Now these clubs spend many hours each year, year round maintaining sites, buildings all on volinteer time. The Rollag show has a member in Fargo ND with a machine shop who host work days over the winter to fabricate parts for club owned equipment.

Now a guy with a tractor shows up who has contributed nothing to the year round effort to keep the show going. Most of these shows charge nothing to display. But if they do so what. It's your hobby and hobbies cost money!

I can see someone complaining if the show sponsers are making a profit.

Rick
 
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