GR Auto GalleryPosted on05-24-2024
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Local Car Shows and Preparation Guide
What's better than sitting outside on a nice summer day, admiring some amazing cars, and chatting with fellow automotive enthusiasts? Not much! The summer car show season is something to look forward to every year, especially if you live in a state where you can only drive your specialty vehicle for a few months of the year. Now, you may be wondering what are some car shows near me? In this blog post, we're going to cover events near our locations that we're excited for as well as give some tips and tricks for the upcoming show season.
Car Show Preparation
Step One:Make sure your car is running, driving, and legally registered. While this may seem obvious, a successful car show season often begins months in advance prepping your dream ride to be a reliable show cruiser over the course of a summer. Alternatively, purchasing a vehicle that is ready to go can be a fantastic option if looking to simply hit the road and crusie. Another aspect of this step is giving your car a full detail and doing final touches. It is a lot more fun to show a car when it's at its best. For that reason, we reccomend spending time diligently cleaning, paint correcting, and polishing your car before taking it to a show. We understand that not all cars are meant to have glimmering paint, but the pride that comes from having a well presented car is worth the effort, whatever that may look like for your vehicle.
Step Two: Once your car is running, driving, and is overall mechanically sound, it's time to begin hunting for the shows you want to attend. In the past, we have typically used Facebook events to find many of the shows we attend. There are great groups on Facebook that compile events in a given region into a concise page that is easy to follow. Alternatively, the team here at GR Auto Gallery has put together a list of car shows near our locations that are linked below. It is important to confirm registration requirements as well as the time and location of the show. Some shows may require pre-registration be completed online by a specific deadline. Doing your due diligence here will make the actual show day much more relaxed and enjoyable for everyone.
Step Three:Driving to the show is one of the best parts of the event. This is your opportunity to get out and enjoy the open road in your sweet ride! Whether you're putting on your favorite songs or listening to the symphony of the engine, take time to enjoy the drive. Take your spouse, friends, family, or meet up with a group to make the drive even more memorable.
Step Four:Arriving at the show can be the most confusing part of the show. Whether it's going to the wrong entrance of the parking lot, having forgotten to pre-register, or being told to park in a less than ideal spot, there's quite a few things that may come as a surprise when arriving at the event. Make sure to confirm all event details prior to leaving for the event and make sure to get in line with your buddies if you want to park with them during the show. Lastly, many individuals will get to the show at least an hour early. Not all shows have the same policy regarding arriving early, so check what time the gates open and reach out to the organizers to see what time you should line up to get the best parking.
Step Five:Enjoy the show! Walk around and admire all of the fantastic cars that came to the event. Our team loves swapping stories of memories we've had with classic vehicles when we're at shows. Shows present an opportunity to bond with people who share the passion of classic cars. Car shows do have a basic ettiquete that must be followed. Do not touch another person's car without consent from the owner. If you leave your windows down, sponsors are often allowed to place a flyer gently on your driver's seat. And most importantly, there are no burnouts, revving, or "spinning" unless the show has a dedicated event for those activities.
Lists of Car Shows by Location
Grand Rapids/Western Michigan Car Shows
Metro Detroit/Eastern Michigan Car Shows
Traverse City/Northern Michigan Car Shows
Indianapolis/Central Indiana Car Shows
