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What Advice Would You Give A Hershey Newbie?


J3Studio

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My wife and I will be attending Hershey for the first time this fall, probably late Friday and all day Saturday. We will not be bringing a car or seriously looking for parts.

What advice would you give a Hershey newbie?

:confused:

Edited by j3studio (see edit history)
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If you are scouting parts you will miss the boat. Show is really the focus Saturday, which is of course a big part of it as well. But I would add a day on the front end if you can especially if you are on a serious parts hunt. You probably already know this but Hershey has a bit more prewar flavor than Carlisle which occurs a week earlier.

Also, spend the $5 to buy a program, especially if you have specific needs and limited tiime. It is a great time saver and sorted in both alpha and category order.

Hershey is all on pavement now, so it is a couple long days of walking but on solid ground anyway. There are permanent restroom facilities in both the Giant Center and in a building that is centrally located in Chocolate field, although they even keep the porta-potties pretty clean given the crowd size.

Oh yeah - be sure to get the wife a strawberry covered waffle from Chocolate field in the AM.

Have fun!! :)

Edited by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history)
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If you have any interest in the flea market or car corral you should come earlier. The flea market will be pretty well setup by Tuesday afternoon, and by Saturday late morning most are gone.

If you're looking for parts bring a list, know your part numbers, measurements, photo, or whatever it takes to be sure you get the right item.

Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes. Unless someone is dropping you off and picking you up, you're in for a good walk just to get from where you park to the show cars.

Bring a camera.

Talk to the folks who have their cars on display, ask questions; most will be more than happy to share their knowledge.

John

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My best advice would be DON'T GO! Hershey is more addicting than heroin. Go once and you will feel the urge to go every year. As close as you are you will have no excuse not to make it a yearly event for the rest of your life. If you insist on going do try to spend one day, thurs or fri in the flea market. Arrive early for the Saturday show and you can watch the cars roll onto the show field. Wear your best walking shoes.

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You will need rain gear to withstand a hurricane, Light enough clothes so you won't sweat to death or fry to a crisp on the 80 degree days. Don't forget the long underwear and snow suit either, just in case!!

It will be the best show you will ever attend even in the rain snow or heat.:D

My room is already booked. What are you waiting for.

I've never even been to the car show. I never make it past the car corrall and flea market.

This was last years swap meet finds!!!!!

post-43003-143138611132_thumb.jpg

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Guest Siegfried

I've been going to Hershey starting in 1965. Missed a few, but not a one since 1980. Hershey is simply the greatest auto event ever created.

Go just once, and you'll be BACK!

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First off, you WILL enjoy yourself. Bring your camera, with several sets of rechargeable batteries, and a camera card (or whatever you call those stamp-sized things you stick in your digital camera) with enough capacity for hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures...

As stated before, IF you do go, you WILL want to come back every year, so plan on that...

Make sure you have the variety of clothing, etc. that will account for ALL kinds of weather conditions--have been going to Hershey for about ten years now, and have seen it all...

If you can get in earlier in the week, that's ideal, but truth be told, my first two or three visits were on Friday and Saturday, and if that's the case this time around, plan Friday for your swap meet searches. Get a program, and make a bee-line to those vendors who may have what you want. You'll NEVER be able to see it all in one day (heck, it's a challenge to see it all in four!), but plot your route, make economy of time, and you'll still have a great experience.

I would say for Saturday, devote that entire day to the show field, and the awesome collection of automotive history on display. Get there EARLY--the first two or three years I went, I was already waiting at the entrance of the show field at 6:30 a.m., to watch all the cars proceed in during the next two or three hours, and took a TON of pictures--and this was in the pre-digital, "Advantix" and 35MM days... It is THE BEST car show on earth, bar none...

If you love stock, original, cars the way they left the factory, you'll never see anything like this as long as you live--until you come back next year!

Hershey is THE highlight of the whole year for me--and that is saying something, given the wonderful events that both Oldsmobile clubs have that pertain to my interests, and the terrific local shows in Ohio, and those I attend in Pennsylvania and Michigan every year.

Hope this helps, and look forward to seeing you there in October!

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I agree with everything posted to date.

To cover Hershey, plan on about a 22 mile hike. My brother & I cover it in 3 1/2 days. Plan on about 7 miles daily from 8:00 am to 5:30. Hershey is approximately 1 1/2 miles long by 1/2 mile wide with 10,000 or so vendor spots. I brought my 21 year old nephew to Hershey in 2001 and all he could tell his dad was "I can't describe it, you have to go". RESTORER32 is correct, it is very addicting.

The following link is for the swap meet information.

Hershey Region AACA: Fall Meet Maps & Information

Go to the following link to see an overview of the swap meet fields.

http://hersheyaaca.org/documents/fall%20meet%20maps/2010/FALLMEET_OVERALL_2010_8X11.pdf

Wear very comfortable shoes and forget about style. Blisters are a reality. The grass in the parking lot can be wet in the morning and if it rains, your shoes will get wet. I carry an extra pair of socks.

October in Hershey can start at 45 degrees to 65 degrees and the temperature can rise 3o to 35 degrees. Plan to wear clothing in layers to peal off as needed. Rain will cool the days temperature as much as 20 degrees. It has snowed in past years and could happen this year. I use a nylon rain suite as umbrellas don't work well in a crowd. Most vendors show their merchandise in the open and will cover them with blue tarps in the rain. If rain is forecast for Friday, many vendors will close up and leave on Thursday.

There will be very few places to sit other than on the curb, the ground is often used. If you have difficulty standing for any length of time, bring something with a seat that you are willing to carry along. Some people bring a 2 or 4 wheel cart/wagon to carry things including their purchases.

Your best chance to find the difficult items is Wednesday and Thursday.

With all of this advise, go for it but find a hotel now. At this date, you may need to stay 20 to 40 miles away. For the record, we are going again this year to enjoy ourselves, I wish you the same.

Edited by huptoy (see edit history)
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I agree that if you arrive Friday afternoon you will miss most of the swap meet, half the vendors (at least) will be gone by Friday at 5.

The main parking area is across Hersheypark Drive from the Giant Center. The Chocolate Field is between Chocolate World and the Giant Center. If you get in Friday afternoon I would go to the swap meet in Chocolate Field until the end of the day. The AACA Museum will be open late Friday night, I would go there. Then Saturday as early as possible go to the car show west of the Giant Center. There will probably also be cars in the Car Corral around the Giant Center to see too. And as stated the Giant Center will be available for restrooms, food stands, etc throughout your day. Enjoy and good luck, Todd C

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Guest Siegfried
Will be our 43rd Hershey.

I would love to see as many Hershey's as you have. Unfortunately being 62 with COPD I probably won't, unless I can slow it down with the use of the local gym and treadmill. So far I'm winning.

Anyhow, I'll be out there this year once again in the flea market selling left over bits and pieces, and walking the show field with a judging team on Saturday.

Darn, I wish it was October now instead of July!

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If you can not get up to see the cars drive to the field on Saturday morning, make sure you stay and watch them leave later in the day. The sights and sounds of seeing brass cars, steam cars and various eights, twelves and sixteens is awesome! I can hardly wait till October. If you only have friday to see the fields, I would start at the car coral and go from there.

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I 3rd, 4th or 5th - it is addicting. I always wanted to go but didn't have the time or money until 2004. I've been every year since except for 2007 and it drove me nuts not going. I start planning for next year on my way home. Reservations made in February. I think parking in Chocolate World is well worth the $$. It's close to everything and not muddy in the rain. This year, though, I've decided to bring my LTD and put it in the car corral - as well as the show. Bring good walking shoes and as has been said, prepare for cold or heat. I bring shorts and t-shirts but I also bring boots, winter coat and gloves. Of course if you're just coming for a couple of days, you'll have a pretty good handle on the weather. We leave on Tuesday and head home after the show Saturday, so have to plan for all kinds of weather. I also bring a cooler and my own food. Gives me a chance to go back to the car, take a break and have lunch. Hand sanitizer or wipes are a good thing to have as well. Hershey is an absolute blast!

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Also, as time draws nearer, there will be a couple of posts (or more) that highlight all the things to do/places to eat/etc. around the Hershey area, with more ideas and suggestions. In fact, if you go back far enough, I'm sure you can see threads from last year (and even previous years) that will give you a good feel for what transpires, and helpful hints concerning your Fall Hershey visit.

Hey, July is almost through, just gotta get through August and September, and hello October, here we come!

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  • 2 weeks later...

1. Plan on buying the $5.00 event program. Its a good resource during the event and afterwards if you need to follow up on vendors, etc.

2. bring your wish list. You said you're not looking for any parts, but you must have or need something. Bring pics of the part and/or dimensions to compare.

3. dress in layers as already mentioned with good walking shoes. include a hat, sun can beat down quite a bit.

4. bring a notepad to jot down notes, etc.

5. bring a newpaper style cloth sack or buy from Hemmings Motor news stand. Serious flea marketers use a hand truck with some sort of rubbermaid sealable container bungy corded. Folding shopping carts also work well. I've seen hand pushed golf bag carts with a 50 gallon trash can bungy corded that seem to work well.

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John ...will you be coming to Hershey this Fall meet??

Certainly will be. Will be leaving Tuesday morning about 5:00AM and will arrive in Hershey around 5:00PM. Reservations made, will be on the grounds Weds morning at 7:30. I have entered my '72 LTD in HPOF this year so will be driving into the show grounds Saturday morning instead of observing everyone else.

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Aside from the swap meet, tell me more about the logistics of entering a car for judging. How far from the show field would the car hauler be parked? At this date, how far away would one have to drive to secure a hotel room?

Please give this newbie more details about the Saturday show. Thanks,

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Aside from the swap meet, tell me more about the logistics of entering a car for judging. How far from the show field would the car hauler be parked? At this date, how far away would one have to drive to secure a hotel room?

Please give this newbie more details about the Saturday show. Thanks,

I will be driving my car but I believe the car hauler parking area is no more than 1 mile from the show field. It's just a short distance out towards the museum as I recall. Others probably know better than me. As far as hotel/motel, I made my reservations last March, staying on the east side of Harrisburg just off I283 (I think that's what the route is). It's about 10 miles to Hershey but a very easy ride. In the past, we have stayed in Denver (40 miles) and Mannheim, 20 miles. We also stayed at a motel (kinda cheap) in Quentin. However, the traffic seems heavier coming into Hershey from the east than it does the west. Campbellton gets backed up badly in the morning and late afternoon, although it's not horrible - just takes time. I have no idea how successful you would be trying to find a place at this late date.

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I always tell folks to bring at least one extra change of socks per day and have them with you.

The "loft" of the fiber of the socks crushes down when it had been pounded on by walking and they get wet. Wet socks cause blisters. :(

It also helps to find a place in the shade to sit down and take your shoes and socks off and let your feet dry before you put new socks on. Dry feet are happy feet. :)

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I always take signs to wear on my front and my back that state "Wanted: 1931 Dodge parts". You would not believe how many people ask me about it and tell me what they have for my car. How else are they going to know what you want? I ALWAYS hear folks muttering, "We should wear a sign like that guy does". It really works. Of course, if I actually see a 1931 Dodge part, I quickly remove the sign so that the guy does not raise the price when he sees it is what I really need.

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Guest B Rose

Hershey is all on pavement now, so it is a couple long days of walking but on solid ground anyway.

Steve... I was told, the show field was moved on to grass a few yrs back. Are you saying the show cars will be on pavement? Thanks, Bill

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Susan, I think part of the reason they close if it rains is you use to be able to stay dry under a canope. Now water flows through, sometime fairly deep if you're close to a drain. Now anything on the ground has to be elevated or it gets wet, your feet gets wet and in general it is not all that pleasant to stand around. We still stay open as long as the rain isn't horizontal, but our small camper isn't something you want to spend a rainy day in either if you can help it. People with a bigger camper heads inside to stay comfy instead of standing in the running water.

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  • 1 month later...

Just jumping back in to this thread to thank everyone for their replies. We're a little short on vacation time this year, so we will be arriving some time on Friday afternoon.

We expect to have a great time - my wife is especially interested in watching the cars enter the show field. I know this starts at 7:00 AM on Saturday - is there a specific place to watch from?

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Guest Stonefish

Somewhere before they split them...if you want to see them all. Behind the Giant Center...along the driveway around the back. It would be the South end of the orange field.

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A good day for me. Got to say hi to Steve M. And finally got to meet Starfireelvis and olds car fan. :) Several folks in the Red Field and Chocolate Field weren't there yet. Will check back later.

AND Bill and I found a real deal for our friend, and fellow judge, Rodger Woodrum who stays with us in our camper. He was looking for one of the reproduction tops that go on the early gas pumps. We found one for him for only $60, less than half of the cheapest one he found. He was thrilled. :D

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Another great day of meeting friends. :) Matt Hinson, but he has to quit changing his look because from one meet to the next I don't recognize him. :eek: (I'm beginning to think he may be in Witness Protection.) :rolleyes: Got an aswesome hug from Marty Roth. :D And was able to visit with Tom Laferriere. And attended a CJE about Classic Vehicles with our friend Jeff Locke. :)

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