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Hershey Attendance & Vendors


FJD2004

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This was my 38th year in Hershey and congrats to the Hershey Region for another amazing and well organized event!

As a longtime vendor in the Chocolate field annex, we noticed less people this year over last year and many empty spaces - (and last year was light too). Sales were ok on Wednesday morning and terrible on Thursday and Friday. It didn't even pay to open on Saturday as many spectators were at the car show. Has anyone else noticed this too or was it just our part of the field?

I know the economy is very shaky and E-Bay is way too convenient and impersonal, but I hope this is not a trend. Nothing will ever replace a great show like Hershey.

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I was there too...in Chocolate field...and concur with your observation. Crowds were noticeably thinner and sales were nonexistent but the weather was perfect. On the flip side, since the number of folks shopping was down, I found some great buys.

In my opinion, the weather leading up to the meet, combined with the economy played a part in keeping folks away. That and the folks who enjoy antique cars are themselves becoming antiques! A whole discussion can be had as to what can be done to boost interest...and I'll leave that to someone else.

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My observations: Fewer folks walking around but on average a younger crowd. More pre war stuff in the flea market than I remember from the last few years. Fantastic turnout of early cars for the show, far more than last year and many more cars going for the First Junior Award than I've seen the last few years. In general there seemed to be fewer "big money" guys around. These are just my impressions, not a scientific poll. No one can complain about the 4 solid days of totally cloud free skies.

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I'm surprised at your observations. I thought there were more people out than last year and more vendors, but nothing like 5-7 years ago when I first started going. There were certainly a lot of people walking the car corral on Friday and there were many cars in the show that I did not look at because they were just buried in people.

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I was in the Chocolate Field. My sales were less than last year. The weather could not be any better. I think that the decreased sales are simply a reflection of the economy. It was still a lot of fun!

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Guest windjamer

:)Now that the season is about over may I ask those of you that vend at local shows all year, do you rase your price for Hershey?? Maby you lower the price as its the last chance to get rid of some stuff. What are your thoughts??:)

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Once again Hershey was great and the weather was super. The Hershey Region did their usual superlative job in managing the event. I have been going for 15 years (wish I had started sooner!) and I think one of the main reasons for the drop off in vendor traffic on Saturday is due to the relocation of the car show area. Since it is on the edge of things, so to speak, it takes a lot of walking to get to the vendor areas. When the car show was more centrally located it was easier to get to the vendor areas and I was more inclined to do that. Now I just walk around the show field and look at the cars in the Car Corral which takes a fair amount of walking. I know this probably won't change, but I would like to see Hershey go back to when the show field was more in the middle of things.

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When I arrived Thursday about noon, all the parking areas across the highway were full, and we were directed to the employee lots near Chocolate World. I guess the parking receipts will tell the tale!

Phil

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Guest Packards1

Wednesday was by far our best day. Lots of buyers from overseas each day. We noticed no drop-off of crowds in our area of the Green field. The Hershey region did a great job considering the rain before the show. Saturday is what the Hershey event is all about and the cars are the stars. Lots of vendors (i.e.: AACA members) pack up Friday night so they can enjoy the Saturday show also. There basically are few customers on Saturday and a lot of us have hundreds of miles to drive home so packing up is the only economically prudent thing to do. I do not want to pay for an overpriced motel for Saturday night to sell to one or two customers on Saturday afternoon.

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Guest snowshoe1

If there is any hope of creating interest in sustaining the AACA meet through Saturday the best way to "fix" it is to find a home for the judging more central to the vendor fields. That might be hard to do yet it is certainly possible. There were many vacant spaces on each of the vendor fields . If the layout could be condensed the Saturday judging location could be returned to the front of the Giant stadium. I recall it was held at that site about five years ago and the vendors were pleased to be near those events of Saturday a.m. I sure enjoyed the sunny four days at Hershey this year. Let's do the same for next year too!

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Sales were good, but then I have lower goals for sales then some.

Pay for spaces - Good Year

Pay for spaces and round trip fuel - Really Good Year

Pay for spaces, round trip fuel and what I spent - Great Year

Pay for spaces, round trip fuel, what I spent and have money left over - Fantastic Year

I had a Fantastic Year.

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I sell in chocolate my sales were down 20% from last year,I believe economy,ebay,and all the neg comments about flooding kept some far away from spending the money and airfares to take a chance on coming if more rain was coming,In any event the weather was perfect and I have came with my Dad as a youngster and will never miss it.But there is one thing I would hope Hershey region and Hershey park would consider for a Improvement is adding a few more stalls to the chocolate parking lot restrooms I get up at 5am just to come over with light to use the stall and shave brush teeth before the crowds come and it is kinda hard to use the porta potty in the dark? So adding a few clean stalls from two to six would greatly reduce waiting times and be much appreciated.

Thanks to another Great show and fond memories and my Friends I've met and see every year.

Life Member

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Guest Stonefish

A lot of swappers are packing up Friday afternoon...the Saturday action is on the show field, they know that and head for home...long week for them.

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Looks to me like each year more and more vender spaces are just being used for parking spaces. It use to take us most of three days to get through the flea market now because of empty spaces and stands opening up so late two days are plenty. I agree with moving the car show back to the front of the Giant Center, no dust or potential mud there for the show cars.

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Looks to me like each year more and more vender spaces are just being used for parking spaces. .....

Bill and I turned down the offer of a vendor space to park in on Friday for this very reason. A long time friend of ours has several spaces and his best friend who came to Hershey to help him left early Friday and that left a space open. I honestly wouldn't want my vehicle seen parked in a vendor space despite the fact that our friend paid for it.

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I walked the field two of three times, seeing different stuff everyday. great show. when i though I seen most everything, I notice some body with part I would purchase in the cart. so aprt are always showing up even new stuff on Fridays.

My strangest purchase, 4 vacuum clean filter for my wife's shop vac. 1/2 the cost she normally pays. not a biggie but we save $30, that cover most of my meals for a day. I did even stop to eat on Tuesday or Wednesday.

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