Very true. But, there was plenty of money being spent, from what I saw. Personally, I think the decline in attendance can be attributed to several things over the years:
- Weather. Cold and rainy, hot, hot and rainy... Luck of the draw. Cannot control it, so I don't worry about it.
- Pavement. Great for a flea market on a nice, spring day, not so much fun for a military vehicle show. One problem with this particular venue is the drainage. The rain water runs all the way across the sloping parking lot, right through all of the spots, soaking anything on the ground. Would a grassy field be any better? Maybe not. This does dry out quickly, and you don't get stuck in the mud. Pick your poison. A paved lot with better drainage would be better than this one, for sure.
- Fuel costs. There were a few years when diesel got to $4.50/gallon, and a lot of guys who brought their deuces and truckloads of parts (from longer distances) just didn't come. Many just never bothered to come back, because of the decline in attendance that they were a part of, as well as the lack of desire to drive 4+ hours in a big truck. I'm not as young as I used to be, for sure.
- Price. I'm not going to pretend the cost per space is anything but high. $60/space is a LOT. It should be 1/2 that, in my opinion. But, I am local, and it supports my hobby and the local club, so I pay for a couple of spots and sell a few odd bits from my junk collection and virtually never make money at it. Generally, I spend way more than I make.
- General bad-mouthing. I've heard plenty of guys say "That show is nothing like it used to be" and then they don't show up. If you're not going to show up, just don't bother bad-mouthing it.
That's just my $0.02.
I look forward to seeing everyone again next year, hopefully with some of my trucks finished for the show!