VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Looking for ideas

This spring I organized a car show to help raise money to restore our local theater. The show was held downtown on the second Saturday in May. It was a lot of fun and we had 83 entries our first show. In an attempt to be a bit different and make sure the participants had fun I organized a word de-scramble game where the participants had to go into the local merchants stores and find individual letters. Once they collected all of the letters they had to de-scramble the two word phrase. Completed game forms were put into a drawing and the first drawn with the correct answer won $50. I got a lot of good feedback about how fun the game was and how tired everyone was of the standard air filter toss type of car show games.

In an attempt to continue down that same line of reasoning I'm looking for unique games for next years show. I don't want to get in a rut of doing the same thing every year. I want something that will get the participants involved AND get them into the downtown stores. I'm considering a hidden medallion (dash plaque) with clues posted every half hour at the registration table. I'm also considering a form of scavenger hunt. I'm open to any ideas you all might have. Any game players out there????

Tiny,

I have not been to any car shows where games have been played by the participants, but it sounds like a great idea. What may I ask is the old air filter toss? I am guessing you toss something into a round filter? Good luck with your shows and restoring the theater.

Cheers,
Gary

You take an old air filter element (dry element type) and throw it at a stake similar to a ring toss. Some shows have a head toss where you throw a cylinder head for distance (not a Chevy 6 cast iron head ) like a discus or shot put. I've seen valve cover races (similar to a pinewood derby race).

How about a piston toss. Toss a piston with rod attached....three chances.....try to get it into a tire laying on the ground.

Or a timed race to remove a spark plug from a head.

Tiny
Along the lines of the scrambled word you could hide several keys but only 1 opens the lock. You would have to remember where you hid all keys in order to retrieve them afterwards though especially the all important 1.
Tony

Good idea Tony, I'll mull that over some & see if I can make it work. Ken, the type of games I'm looking for are those that will get the participants in the local downtown stores. Getting the extra people in their stores helps get them to agree to have the street in front of their stores blocked for a whole day. Thanks for giving it some thought, I appreciate it.

Hi Tiny,
The scavenger hunt sounds like fun. As a twist, how about a "tailgate party" using only items purchased that day in the downtown stores.
Like; folding chairs or tables, table cloths, paper plates, food, napkins, candlestick holders, etc. Of course originality and over-the-top tailgate set ups counts for points.
We here in Northern Jersey like to go all out when tailgating at football games so it can get crazy.
Proof of puchase is of course required.
Have fun, it's a great cause.

Tiny, congrat's on your success to date. I like the ideas being passed on to you. They should help.

And here's my idea, in as much as I have no shame but a strong affection for self indulgence.

Buy four {4} custom hats from VCCA, So. Cal. Region and use them as a drawing tool and or reward.

I'm sure the hats will/may help you gain 2, 3, 4 or more new attendees.

Continued success,
Michael41