The Elegance at Hershey Cancelled

[midman]

I noticed a bulletin from the Hershey Elegance that they are cancelling the show next year. Hopefully it is not forever. That was a great show and I attended almost all of them. 

The bulletin said something about not making a difference. Did the overhead become too much, or did the organizers have some other reason to shut down I wonder.

 

 

[TerryB]

Letter says they were not able to make substantial contributions to their intended charities.  Too bad, seemed like a great event.

[John_S_in_Penna]

Thank you for sharing this news.  I hadn't heard.

 

Here is an article from the internet.  For the past

couple of years, they felt they had a great show,

but they weren't able to raise as much money for

their charities.  The Elegance will not be held in 2020,

and their board disbanded, but they hope they can

regroup and be back for 2021, the article says:

 

https://journal.classiccars.com/2019/09/13/elegance-hershey-cancels-2020/

 

 

[old car fan]

Is it herco again?

[Peter J.Heizmann]

5 minutes ago, old car fan said:

Is it herco again?

 

What do you mean by that?

 

[1937hd45]

Too bad. 

Edited September 21, 2019 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

Concours events are insanely expensive--to attract the top cars, you have to spend a ton of money to make it a high-class event that the well-heeled owners want to attend. Add in the fact that there are like 20,000 concours every year in every single little town in America and it's hard to make the numbers work. 

[John_Mereness]

I posted this a few days ago regarding Greenwich Concours and Hagerty buying it.

 

I have co-run a concours since 1992 (having been involved since 1981), and founded our not-for-profit and Board of Directors in 2006 - Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance (formerly known as Ault Park Concours d'Elegance) www.ohioconcours.com - we are the second oldest continually running Concours in the United States with Pebble Beach being first and Concours of America being third.

 

Here is why I have a great Admiration - this is what it takes to "lean" run our Concours:

15 - Board of Directors

1 - full time Executive Director

1 - 3/4 time Administrative Assistant

1 - part-time Business Manager

1 - CPA firm

40 - Steering & Events Planning Committee members

40-50 Car Selection Committee members

1 - Advertising/Marketing Firm

1 - PR Firm

2 - Advising Attorneys

400 day of show volunteers

1 - Honorary Head Judge

1- Administrative Judge

40 day of show Judges (and another 30 or 40 Hagerty Junior Judging kids)

200+ gracious Car Owners each year

10+ Artists

Countless GENEROUS Sponsors

And, I am sure I have forgotten to list countless others.

 

And, we run the largest Hagerty Junior Judging team of any Concours - because we want kids involved (and because they let us and we can do it) !

 

.

 

 

Edited September 22, 2019 by John_Mereness (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

John, I have no idea how cars are selected for any of the Concours events across the country, it must be quite a job to fill every field with new never seen cars every year. Bob 

Edited September 22, 2019 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Steve Moskowitz]

OK, I will try to end the speculation .  I am the Vice-Chairman of the Elegance and started the move to go ahead with this idea in my office here at AACA along with Jack Rich and Mark Lizewskie in 2010.  We eventually formed a board and decided that the world did not need another concours but a unique one that imitated the original concours and that was  small in size but big on quality cars that were works of art could work.  We also stated that we were not going to be the kind of event that raised a large amount of money and donated paltry sums to charities.

 

We DID honor that commitment and will have donated over $1,000,000 in our 9 short years of existence but it was getting harder in an area that has little major sponsorships available to us and an event not large enough with its gate to attract as many national sponsors as we would like to.  Our current executive director was moving on to another job that offered her far more stability and benefits so we were faced with the prospect of seeking and training another director along with a few key board members feeling that it was time to retire.  So the decision was made to cancel the 2020 event.

 

Since that time numerous people and companies have suggested that they could support us beginning in 2021 and those discussions are ongoing with some of us with the HOPE that we can bring back this special event.

 

I should make this VERY clear:  Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, the Hotel Hershey were a wonderful partner in putting this event on and supported us HIGHLY.  It is , however, a premium property and even with their support the Elegance was a very expensive proposition. 

[edinmass]

While I only attend one Hershey Concours, I very much enjoyed myself and showing a car. We had a conflict the past three years, and intended to bring a car next year. Thanks for all the work and effort to the committee, the show was always spoken of very highly by many big time collectors. 

[Restorer32]

Thanks for clearing  up all the speculation Steve.

[Walt G]

For all the time and effort put in by so many people to make it work, I hope the year off enables it to regroup, refresh and come back as a force in 2021

Walt

[Robert G. Smits]

Even Amelia Island Concours with all of its prestige is only able to donate 100-150K /year.  That is with a $120 ticket price at the gate and 20000 visitors  producing 2.4 Mil in revenue and not counting income from sponsors and other sources.  As Steve implied it must really be expensive to pull off successfully.  Hats off to the many  individuals who work all year to make these a success.

[John_Mereness]

On 9/22/2019 at 10:36 AM, 1937hd45 said:

John, I have no idea how cars are selected for any of the Concours events across the country, it must be quite a job to fill every field with new never seen cars every year. Bob 

Yes, many cars on the field are first time being seen by anyone at any show.  And the goal is that the mainstay of the cars be never at the show previously and never been shown in this geography.   Obviously, there is a group of people that will fill in gaps when needed - If I get a Duesenberg and an Auburn, I know who to call for a Cord (and visa versa) that may have been seen a few times (even a few times at our show) and ...  We have a fellow that brings a 60's Mercedes nearly every year from start of our show - he is a  local attorney (retired now) who as a newly wed blew the deposit for their house on the car and loving the car so much took the bus to work so that he never abused it - he is a great advocate for our show too and could not be more nice = always pleased to have him on the show field. 

 

And, yes the finance and development committees of our Board matched to everyone involved in fund raising take on daunting tasks.

Edited September 27, 2019 by John_Mereness (see edit history)

[edinmass]

I remember running a major meet back thirty years ago with five other gentlemen, it was a well attended national meet.........perfect weather, great venue. When it was all over each of us reached in our pockets and tossed in 800 each to cover the loss..............it takes lots of effort and money to run a show. Think about the insurance...........for a TOTAL RAIN OUT ...... you can't run a concours without it. One bad year of weather and with no insurance its all over. Two thumbs up to ALL the people who put on the concours/shows.

[John_Mereness]

I often refer to it as a large scale "check writing" organization/event.