tractor show

We here in Clinton Mi. would like to put on an antique tractor show in June. If anyone and I know you do, has any information what makes a good tractor show and how to get started please let me know. I can use all the information I can get. How do you get the tractor owners to bring their tractors to a show? Should we charge an entrance fee or not? Thanks, Basil

If you charge an entrance fee for the people to bring their tractors I will say they won't come. I won't unless you have something really special to offer. I like shows with live demonstrations. You can just look at so many red, green and other color tractors sitting there. Go to some shows, talk to the exhibitors, and spectators and see what they like to see at the shows they attend. They are fun to do but it takes a lot of work which winds up being done by a few people usually. Good Luck and try to make it so you and the others working get to participate in the activities. Our club is usually a big participant in our tractor games.
Look Here

advertisement is key to getting them there try to be fair to everyone even though about impossible will keep them there as for spectators you need to keep things happening all day few people will come to just look at tractors you need demonstrations and such around here clubs charge $5-10 to join for ins. purposes and charge a $3 donation for spectators

I've never put on a show, but I've been to a few, and have noticed some fairly consistent things about the successful ones.

1. No entry fee for exhibitors.

2. Little or no entry fee for visitors.

3. NO JUDGING

4. Active displays: threshers, sawmills, stationary balers, pretty much anything that DOES something rather than just sit there and look pretty.

5. Encourage equipment in "working clothes". Row after row of roped off "don't touch" displays with four-figure paint jobs get old quick.

6. Encourage variety. Yes, you'll get a lot of green ones and red ones cuz they sold a ton of 'em, but there ARE other colors.

JMHO, YMMV, and batteries not included...

I'll second what Fawteen said and add how many other shows are in your area on the same dates? Where I'm at, I could go to several shows within a 2 hour drive every weekend from Memorial Day until late October. Some of the shows are cannibalizing each other and all the shows suffer. If there is demand and/or lack of competition for another show, make it memorable with lots of activities and lots of advertising.

Most shows I go to charge $ 5.00 per car.Anymore than that and I got to start thinking about it as most shows in my area have same tractoritis.

Vito

Have evening entertainment for the people who camp or stay late.

Offer camping if more than 1 day show.

Have a variety of food vendors.

Afternoon demonstrations, like dog herding etc.

Tractor games and rodeo.

Dynometer and Baker fan, teeter totter for tractors

Games for the adults, skillet toss, hammer toss.

Entertainment for children, petting zoo?

Award for oldest man and woman attending.

Youth talent show.

Field work if acreage permits.

AAANNNDDDD enough volunteers to organize each event. Involve everyone, even the spectators and exhibitors.

Gene

I agree with Fawteen !!!1 DO TRY TO CHARGE ME FOR BRINGING A TRACTOR!!!!!!! Why would you charge someone to bring a tractor when its a tractor show?
Led

I've never organized a show, but I've attended many. For me the most interesting things are the activities for kids (we need to give the kids good memories to give our love of tractors a future) and then swap meets. Sometimes you find something can use or something that brings back a memory. At the very least you get a chance to talk to folks with similar interests. Music would be good bluegrass, country or american folk. You might find folks or groups willing to showcase their talents at no charge, just for the chance at playing for an audience. I hope you can get it together, I'll be there I'm in Britton Michigan.

how do you all pay insurance without charging a membership fee? plus cost of mailing newsletters for the following years event? this all takes money here in pa dont know about where you are from anything left over goes into improvements to the club plus most places large enough to house a show costs some sort of rent

"what makes a good tractor show"

Month of June when it is quite warm out. Perhaps a nice womens sandpit volleyball tournament would be a nice added feature.

Might attract a lot of younger men that would eventually want an antique tractor of their own to show each year.

Hey Jim, please contact me in Clinton. I"m in the book. Thanks, Basil

Have a schedule. Make sure something is happening every couple of hours all day long. 7-9am pancake breakfast, (by local business club?), 8-11 threshing near grandstand, 10-12 sawmill demo. 11-2 fried chicken dinner (by local church?) 12-4 spinning and weaving demo (by local quilt club) 1pm parade of power, 3-6 plowing, 3-6 tractor pull. You get the idea, something going/changing all the time. Also some things all day long - flea market, home made bread and homemade butter booth (by 4h group), coffee -ice tea - soda stand, assorted demos. Customize activities to the materials, buildings and grounds you have available. Cater to the tractor exhibitors - does someone want to do silage chopping, corn shelling, baling?

INSURANCE.

Feed the crowd: general all-day-long refreshment stands or food court, and also featured meals.

Transportation - hay rack rides to/from the parking area, sight-seeing rides around the display area.

Call on other groups for their skills: Home arts, blacksmithing, broom making, boy scouts.

Sponsor a flea market and community garage sale or the grounds.

For kids - pedal tractor pull, straw bale maze for the littlest ones, sandbox coin hunt, barrel train ride.

And more.