O/T Why do tractor shut down early

wsmm · Jul 1, 2013

Wondering why a tractor show would advertize that they are running for 3 days, Friday trough Sunday and then be almost shut down before noon on Sunday? Have also seen where they have advertized Thursday through Sunday and if you go on Thursday there is very little activity.

bg/mo · Jul 1, 2013

As president of local club,, sunday"s are slow at our show too cause everybody is loading up and heading home, have to work monday.Ours starts on friday and that is slow till 6pm when everybody gets off work. Weekdays are hard to be busy cause most people are at work.

AG in IN · Jul 1, 2013

If you want to see less than half of a tractor show, go Sunday. If Sunday isn't the last day, go the last day.

Even Saturday afternoon at some shows you can see the mass exodus has begun.

AG

mkirsch · Jul 1, 2013

Contrary to popular belief, the people that participate in these shows are just regular folks and have other responsibilities besides entertaining you.

On Thursday/Friday, a lot of people are still working and can't afford to take time off.

On Sunday, a lot of people have long (and/or multiple) trips home ahead of them, and work on Monday.

Saturday is usually the big day for most shows.

You can't force people to bring things in before the show opens and you can't force them to stay. If you think you can, host your own show and see how many people (don't) show up.

Dick L · Jul 1, 2013

First time I went to the Portland Indiana show I met what seemed like half the show north of Portland starting just outside of Fort Wayne. When I got there the rest was packing to leave. They still took my money. Next time I went somewhere in the week rather the weekend.

Traditional Farmer · Jul 1, 2013

As said tractor shows usually wind down on Sunday the exception is if the tractor pull is Sunday then it'll be a full day.

mkirsch · Jul 1, 2013

They still took my money.

Well of course. The show's organizers don't guarantee content, they just make the facilities available.

If it rained all weekend and nobody brought anything to show, they'd still take your money. They got bills to pay, and half the time they're collecting the money for charity anyway.

rpirkle1 · Jul 1, 2013

Having both ran shows and exhibited at other shows, this is a sore topic for me.

I work full time, run a museum as a 30+ hour a week hobby and have a family in addition to my hobby of collecting tractors. Having said all that, one of the first things I learned growing up is that if someone let you do something for free, the least you owed them was to do it by their rules. To me that means if the show says closing at 5 on Sunday, you should still have your tractor on the ground at 5 on Sunday.

I'll make exceptions if the weather is driving folks away already and the show organizer has thrown up their hands and called it a day. Otherwise my tent is going to stay up until about an hour before the advertised close and my tractors will be on the ground till closing or later.

I have fun with shows (both as host and exhibitor) and realize that the only way the show grows and survives is with people like the OP that come out and spend time enjoying it. If their time is limited to Sunday afternoon and we want this hobby to survive, we have to accommodate them.

Larry NEIL · Jul 1, 2013

Our tractor show opens on Thursday and is 1/2 price for seniors. Seems to help attendance and show up's of displayers.

Sparktrician · Jul 1, 2013

As president of a tractor club that has a show, I can tell you it is hard to keep them at the show on sunday. People are ready to go home.

samn40 · Jul 1, 2013

I understand how people have so far to drive to get home for work on Monday, but it is hard to take when you fly from the other side of the world to see a show and it closes early! After this happened to me on my first trip to America...I decided to give Sundays at these shows a bye and headed off somewhere else instead.
Sam

Anonymous-0 · Jul 1, 2013

I enjoyed your response and wish 100% of folks showing exhibits would follow this rule. As someone said a 4 day show usually means a 1 1/2 or two day show with very little happening on the first day and everyone loaded to head home by dark on Saturday.

thesmoothedeere · Jul 1, 2013

You can look at it different ways i guess. Anymore i'm in awe of the guys that bring stuff out at all. I mean come on a steam engine, i give em respect for just loading the darn thing let alone hauling it .

RandyB(MI) · Jul 1, 2013

I've read all the posts and both sides are well represented and understood. I believe all he is asking is that if there isn't a full show on Sunday then don't advertise it as such and by all means don't take his money with the understanding that he will see something that you know he won't! Some may be comming to their first show and aren't aware of the unwritten rules. Be honest with them as they won't be back otherwise. We need everyone to have a good experience or risk a dying event.

36 Coupe · Jul 2, 2013

I see dealers quitting early at gun shows.A DEALER WHO STAYS TO THE END ON SUNDAY HAS PEOPLE LINED UP BUYING GUNS.Tractor shows are different but there have been times when I have not gone to tractor shows on Sunday afternoon because everyone is packing up.

O/T Why do tractor shut down early

wsmm

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bg/mo

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AG in IN

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mkirsch

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Dick L

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Traditional Farmer

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mkirsch

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rpirkle1

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Larry NEIL

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Sparktrician

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samn40

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Anonymous-0

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thesmoothedeere

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RandyB(MI)

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36 Coupe

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