2025 marks our 16th year as a vintage vehicle e-zine (online-only magazine) where we showcase the retro ride hobby in all its glory.
MyStarCollectorCar has attended a ton of shows over the past 16 years to search for the stories behind the vehicles and bring them to our readers.
Additionally, we spent many decades attending car shows prior to our MyStarCollectorCar days simply because we love car shows.
Jim Sutherland
We have heard it all at car shows over the years, so we do an article every year to let attendees and organizers hear the feedback we get at these events. This year’s article will cover five of the issues and concerns we hear the most over the course of a car show year, along with our observations at these events. Bear in mind we are simply lightning rods for the feedback.
The first item on our list applies to any show that attaches a fee to their event. Most car guys want a return on their investment and lean toward shows that provide a “goody bag” filled with trinkets and discounts donated by various automotive-related businesses in the area, large automotive supply chains, and even hospitality businesses.
Experienced car show organizers know who to contact when it comes to goody bags and why they need to give something back to their paid entrants.
The second addition to our list is trophy awards. Any car show that leans heavily toward local winners will eventually lose the out-of-towners because they will choose other shows with less local bias in their trophy awards.
A trophy award for entrants outside of a 50-mile radius should be a vital component in any car show organizer’s game plan.
The third point on our list has relevance to our second point: not every vehicle can win a best-of trophy at a car show, be they local or out-of-towners at the event.
Consequently, the car show season is not a time to harvest trophies and lose sight of the real reason to attend these events. It’s a topic to be revealed in our fifth and final point.
The fourth issue on our list is basic car show etiquette that is mandatory but not understood by some attendees at these events. A car guy’s beloved ride is sacred territory to him so you can’t simply jump behind the wheel or open the hood without his expressed permission. Otherwise, you may suffer a verbal beatdown or, even worse, a punch in the head for your crimes against his retro ride.
Also, your kids can’t use his old car or truck as a playground and your dog can’t use the vehicle’s tires as a fire hydrant alternative. These rules are very simple to understand–even for the hard of thinking.
Our fifth and final car show recommendation is also pretty simple: have fun at them, whether you have a vehicle in the event or you’re an attendee at it. A typical car show is a very upbeat experience filled with excitement, curiosity and nostalgia, so the fun factor is off the charts.
A car show offers a very affordable form of entertainment that is a trip down memory lane for older attendees and a first-time thrill for the younger set.
Either way, a car show is literally fun for the whole family.
Jim Sutherland
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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