How to Get the Most Out of Your Car Show Experience 2022

If you’re a car lover, attending a car show is the perfect way to indulge your passion. For many car enthusiasts, experiencing a car show is the same as a kid’s favorite candy store. But even if you’re not particularly interested in cars, a car show can still be a great day out. Here’s how to get the most out of your car show experience from the perspective of both exhibitors and public spectators.

Regardless of which side of the steering wheel you’re sitting on, a car show is a surefire way to make you consider whether you can afford one of the beautiful cars on display. Before you commit to anything, use an auto loan calculator to determine what you can afford if you choose to move on an offer.

Choosing an Event to Attend

Welcome to the most eagerly anticipated classic car show of the year, Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with more than 3,000 vehicles on display and over 600 exhibitors, and the famous food hall and live stand entertainment at the NEC Birmingham. They will once again be packed with great entertainment, fun, and fabulous cars to see. This is one event that you will not want to miss. Held between Friday 11th November until Sunday 13th November 2022.

Exhibitor Tips from the Pros

Becoming a club member is the first step to participating in this country’s most remarkable display of motoring history. Air, sea, and soil, all motoring enthusiasts are welcome to join in our mission to preserve the history of British Motoring and educate modern society on the evolution of motoring in our country. 

Prepare Your Vehicle for Display

Everyone loves a shiny car with sparkling rims and reflective curves. But we also know that not all vehicles share a love of flash and showmanship. We love to see working class vehicles, too, as they carry perhaps more history than the bolder models.

Provide History and Education on the Model

While sharing the history of your specific vehicle is fantastic, much can be learned by the public when you share the history of the vehicle’s brand and model. Was a similar model driven by someone significant or famous? Did some service members use this model to achieve something heroic during battle? Does this car do something revolutionary or innovative for its time? These are all questions that will fascinate the general public.

Don’t Forget the Little Things

We know you’ve spent a lot of time preparing your vehicle for display, but don’t forget the little things that will make your car stand out from the rest. Something as simple as a sign with your car’s name or a brief description of its history can make all the difference in someone’s experience. Offer photos, or include a business card showing your Instagram or Facebook where fans can follow your travels and car as you explore new places, for example.

Spend Some Time Looking Around

As individuals showing off our prized vehicle, it can be tempting to remain at your car’s station for the entirety of the event. However, there are hundreds of other vehicles to look at, food vendors, and industry vendors here to share their wares. Visiting with other car enthusiasts may be the opportunity to socialize you need to find a new friend. 

Use Social Media to Promote and Collaborate with other Exhibitors

You don’t attend a car show to hide away in the corner. Show off your car to those at the event and those who couldn’t make it. Claim a hashtag for your vehicle, and encourage people to share their selfies with your car on social media. You never know whose imagination you’ll spark with a randomly tagged selfie from a car show.

Attending as a Public Spectator

Motor shows have been a favorite way to spend an afternoon with family for nearly as long as we’ve had cars on our soil. There’s something special about the shimmer and shine of that beautiful sports car and the mighty rumble of the beastly military trucks on display at many of these shows. To make the most of the time you have at the show, be sure to make a plan, and leave room for a bit of flexibility.

Be Prepared for Loud and Sudden Noises

While not all drivers will show off their car’s torque (like most US shows), it won’t be unusual to hear an engine roar at the show. Bring earplugs or sound canceling headphones if you’re visiting with small children or those sensitive to sudden noises. Further, as events grow and attendance climbs, the general ambient noise in the venue can quickly become overwhelming.

Budget for Food and Drinks

While you could pack your family sack lunches and drinks for the day, there are a wide variety of high-quality food vendors and street food trucks at nearly every event held. Part of the experience of learning about and enjoying these cars from the past is taking part in the food vendors and the industry booths.

Bring Your Phone and a Spare Battery Pack

There will be so many beautiful vehicles to admire, and many of them have quite the following on social media. As wonderful as seeing these stunning motoring legends on the show floor, it’s even more rewarding to see them as they travel the world and shine bright on the backdrops of the world around them.

Take plenty of photos, share your enjoyment with friends and family, and follow the social media pages for some of the cars that catch your attention.

Reflect on Your Experience with Your Children (if they attended) or your Friends

For many children, car shows act as a time portal into the past and the future. Please encourage them to explore their imaginations and facilitate a conversation about the cars they enjoyed, what they found interesting, and what goals it makes them look forward to. This is a fun way to engage their brilliant brains to set big plans for the future.

Finding Common Ground

Cars and the motoring experience is a truly ground experience for people of all walks of life. Regardless of a person’s upbringing, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone whose life has not been impacted by the cars, trucks and other motor vehicles around them.