Wauseon Changes to Pre-Registration Vendors Only

[Keith Kizer]

Due to spaces selling out, Wauseon Vendor spaces will only be available by Pre-Registration for 2017.

Applications will be sent out April 1, 2017 and will need to be returned with payment no later than May 31, 2017.

No vending spaces will be sold at the gate, so make sure to secure yours in advance.

For further information: Rocky (330) 284-2652 or Fred (419) 577-1664 or frednan2@gmail.com

www.WauseonNationalMeet.org

[fillibuster]

I'm a little disappointed, since I have an empathy for the fellas that couldn't make plans due to things like work constraints. Sometimes we just couldn't realize our freedom (from work) until the morning we left. Those were still great times! like skipping out of church, maybe! So, while I understand why this has to be, I still see that some folks will be kinda skunked.
example?? Well, I'm not a roofer, but if you can't leave that roof undone over the weekend, and it's been raining, or materials weren't on time, or some dam thing or other, but then things came together with a bang and we're free to go, ..... that's been me 5 times out of 10 last 26 years. There's always something that could trip me up.
But I understand. The pros will bring the goods as usual, and that's absolutely a good.

[rickgeo]

Hey Guys,
Does that go for the campers too? I'm no camper,I camp with a credit card,but just sayin
Happy New Year All

Rick Stambaugh #2472

[JoJo357]

Yes indeed Red Dog--those...'Were' G00d Times!!! I wish the AMCA would restrict the time allowed to enter the Fairgrounds like they initially intended! For the better part of the last 5-6 years, vendors have been arriving as early as Monday evening! It used to be zero entry prior to Thursday afternoon. With in-house dealer buying & trading, most of the good stuff has already been re/traded, swapped off, or just plain kept for no sale several times over. This leaves for an overpriced piece that usually is blown off as being outright ridiculous for the average person that can't get there till Friday. At the very least, if the Thursday entry was in effect, you might have a shot at it on the first day. Plus, it would be a show in itself watching some of the vendors pulling their hair out on trying to make a deal in such a relatively short time! *M.A.D.*

[hogchild71]

Hello All
Fred Davis, here, Wauseon National Planning Committee Chairman. The decission to go to all pre-registered vendors was a difficult one for the Committee. However, we have reached the limit of services we can provide to the meet. Though, a coalition of five AMCA Chapters present the Wauseon meet, our volunteer worker base is streched thin, due to the size of the meet. I hope everybody will understand that this is a move to better the meet, not restrict it.
Phil; I, too, feel for the guy that can't commit to going to the meet before the day before. I am sure we will have to disappoint a few vendors that show up with a trailer load of stuff, expecting to buy a vending space. But this is a firm decission and will be enforced.
Rick; Campers will be allowed in throughout the weekend, however, no vending will be permitted in the camping areas.
Michael; I agree that AMCA meets have become Wed to Sat meets. That includes Wauseon. If you and others would like to see the National vending rules enforced better, a letter to the AMCA President would be a good place to start. Please, keep in mind that our contract is for Thursday through Sunday, and the Fulton County Fairgrounds is a public campground, as are several venues for AMCA meets. We are not permitted to turn folks away as long as they pay the fairgrounds camping fee.

[jwl]

Are there any spaces available for new applicants or are they all sold out to previous space holders?

[JoJo357]

Kindly Thank You Fred Davis for the reply. I was aware of the Fulton County Fairgrounds policy of public camping, because i camped out a bunch over the years. The Fulton Campground and general area is a Great place to relax even if the show isn't going on. Also, I failed to mention the other issue of a lot of vendors packing up and hauling out by mid-afternoon Saturday, and by early Saturday evening, Wauseon is looking pretty lame as far as being the GrandDaddy of all the yearly AMCA swap meets! By early Sunday Morning, forget it, it is all but finished expect for Routine/formality AMCA awards and Pictures. Like you've mentioned earlier Fred, if the AMCA's contract is technically from Thursday through Sunday, then why doesn't the AMCA abide by the same contract that restricts entry till Thursday, and keep the vendors on the grounds until at least Sunday afternoon? Here's a long shot Fred, in an effort to attract and keep the paying pubic and Vendors until Sunday, why not have additional events present on Saturday evening and part of Sunday? Or...just enforce the contract for zero pull out till Sunday afternoon. All in All, it sure would be Great if the Wauseon event was kicking all the way into Sunday like it used to!!! Thanks Again Fred, i'll kick it around with Lonnie the Prez. *P.s. Some late Saturday/Sunday only events like a Major Concert or Wall of Death/Spear of Fear/Present only to win raffle $$ or Antique Motorcycle raffle give away/free AMCA memberships? Cheap Trick played Fulton Fairgrounds a few months after the Wauseon AMCA event on the racetrack infield, and it was packed!!! C'ya *M.A.D.*

[Robert Luland]

"and keep the vendors on the grounds until at least Sunday afternoon?"

The Club has been there and done that. It was call Rhinebeck and it was a total disaster. That meet still hasn't recovered from that crap. To many vendors that swear they will never return. You tell me your going to lock me in and I'm not coming. Bob L

[eldomike]

Wauseon has become one (if not the best)of the best AMCA meets and has grown a bunch in just the last few years...putting restrictions on vendors to stay past when they want to leave will not lead to continued growth....though good deals can be had on Sunday, most everyone knows the best selection and deals happen the first few days....it's that way at pretty much all swap meets...

[JoJo357]

Settle Down Guys--haha. I never mentioned anything about a Nazi Lockdown of the event! Wauseon is still the top dog in C00L!!! And Yes Bob Luland--Rhinebeck...WAS a Nightmare! Ask yourself why vendors leave early, besides the usual emergencies and or other pertinent reasons. Times Up! It's because people aren't there or leave or don't even show up in any decent numbers after late Saturday and a Sunday Blowout. If there is a crowd present, tell me what vendor doesn't think that maybe he might have a better chance to make a deal or sale. Which gets back to my original drift, make the paying public happy and you'll have content vendors. I've been going to Wauseon since day one, and there was only periodic unprofessional half-ass flat track races prior to promoter Scotty Brown taking over the event, and turning it into a KILLER MONSTER!!! But i remember the vendors and people still hanging till Sunday, at very least, even when there wasn't any racing going on during most of the years at Wauseon. I posted this in an effort to kick around solutions with other AMCA members to only better this event, not to slander it. Remember this simple fact...Without any people/customers to frequent ANY AMCA event, there would be No reason for a vendor to even show up. Oh wait, maybe Wauseon is a Vendor event only, because if Promoter Scotty Brown ever backed out of the Flat Track racing end of it, i personally think this event would suffer immensely! C'ya *M.A.D.* *P.s. The yearly Car shows and Automotive swaps held at Wauseon have full crowds throughout their scheduled time frames, something to think about!!!

[hogchild71]

JoJo357 and All
You have come up with some interesting ideas. Some of which will happen this year. About the fairgrounds and the event; AMCA National does not rent the venue. The contract is in the name of The Wauseon Antique Motorcycle Coalition, and runs from Thursday morning thru Sunday afternoon. Our contract requires us to collect an additional camping fee for anyone arriving on Wednesday. Those that arrive before Wednesday must pay the groundskeeper. At the end of the meet we must pay the fairgrounds ALL camping fees that we collect from Vendors, Campers and early arrivals, as a stipulation of our contract. All services that you receive while attending the meet are provided by or for the five Chapter coalition. The work goes on year round planning to provide such services as trash pickup, rest room cleaning, all food services, designing T-shirts....There is not enough room on this page to list every thing that the Five Chapters of the Coalition have to do, so that our friends from AMCA and the public have a good time.
About Sunday morning; Judging of origional and restored bikes starts at Nine sharp, preceded by a short Judges meeting and light breakfast (on the Coalitions dime). Judging will take up most of the morning often going until mid afternoon. Then after awards are presented by the National Judge, everyone goes home, except for the Coalition members that stay behind to help clean the grounds.
AMCA National provides a $500 meet allowance to be used at the discression of the meet, one full page ad for the meet The Antique Motorcycle and one quarter page ad for the meet. The main thing provided by National is Insurance for the meet. An expence most Chapters could not afford. This is a short list, I could go on-and-on, but this is enough for now. BTW, The Wall of Death will be coming to Wauseon this year.
More later, Fred

[JoJo357]

Hello Fred, Thank You for your insight on the Wauseon Event. With Gigantic National AMCA Meets like Wauseon, the planning and work scale is always intense. Plus, there are always the hidden agenda's that pop up occasionally on this level. I'm elated to receive Positive input and information in regard to this event as opposed to negative and non-productive solutions. Like the old adage..."If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem". I would also like to Thank You Fred for your kind words about interesting ideas, plus it's fantastic that the Wall of Death tradition is returning to Wauseon! Antique Flat Track racing with exceptional Board Track and now the Wall--funny, that makes two Walls this year already--haha. Hopefully the thought process will not end here, and other AMCA members will Jump On Board Also!!! Thanks Again, and looking forward to the upcoming year. Take Care, *M.A.D.