RE: PistonFest is back!

[rix]

How many have signed up?

I reckon had it have been marketed as 'limited to 500 spaces' it would have been a sell out in a few hours (ala SS!)

[Mexican cuties]

Any news on Sunday entry only????

[Fotic]

Hi

Sorry if it's covered already, I haven't read the whole thread, could you tell us what to expect at the 'fest?

[gaz9185]

Phew! £50 per adult.....that's a bit steep isn't it? How does it compare with an event with similar car interest activities.......yes, I know, Goodwood more, but surely Silverstone Classic and similar better value for pistonheaded bodies?

[sc0tt]

So in 2 and a half months you have managed to organise nothing else and expect idiots punters to pay £50 notes to change a tyre and get a "free" T-Shirt.

Literally nothing else from your last update ...

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...

Pistonfest 2014

[sc0tt]

Sorry, my mistake. I see you have now added the below to the line up.

PH said:

Friendly PH atmosphere

I for one am now happy to see this included.

[V41LEY]

I've signed up for the Sunday Service element and would commit to the full weekend if the details were a bit more forthcoming. Site security, well stocked bar, spacious camping, good food - surely these are givens for something like this and to dress them up as USPs is a bit disingenuous. Friendly PH atmosphere ? not sure what that means. No news on the live band either. Sorry to say but I think this has the whiff of BTaP about it. It seems to have gone very quiet - and I'd love to support this event but can't as it stands. However, if you tell me 'the well stocked bar' has 20 real ales on tap and a choice of 20 single malts - the cheque is in the post.

[MagicalTrevor]

Sounds exciting

[Raman Kandola]

V41LEY said:

I've signed up for the Sunday Service element and would commit to the full weekend if the details were a bit more forthcoming. Site security, well stocked bar, spacious camping, good food - surely these are givens for something like this and to dress them up as USPs is a bit disingenuous. Friendly PH atmosphere ? not sure what that means. No news on the live band either. Sorry to say but I think this has the whiff of BTaP about it. It seems to have gone very quiet - and I'd love to support this event but can't as it stands. However, if you tell me 'the well stocked bar' has 20 real ales on tap and a choice of 20 single malts - the cheque is in the post.

+1 exactly!

I really would want to go this if we were actually told what the entertainment is as already uve stated, there is no further information provided since last time so i am bitterly disapointed

[Rochester TVR]

Personally I think what we are seeing here is Eybics organised and intentional failure of Pistonfest so he doesn't get lumbered with organising it again in the future.

He consistently ignores very simple questions, aswell as ignoring advice and suggestions on how it could be better. I feel sorry for the BTCC team and Caterham who are going to give up their time on this now non event.

Edited by Rochester TVR on Thursday 3rd July 08:48

[ChipsAndCheese]

I don't want to put down what has already been organised, as I'm sure PH have put in a lot of effort to get what they already have arranged, but I must admit I am a bit disappointed. I desperately wanted this to be good, and successful, but what has been announced doesn't match up with what I had envisaged when talk of pistonfest's return started.

Personally I had hoped it would be more of a festival - a few small stages scattered around with a constant line up of local bands playing throughout the day - doesn't need to be anyone big, and I'm sure there are loads of small local bands who would love the chance to play a gig to a decent sized crowd.

Between the stages it would be good to have some local car clubs getting involved and putting their classics/exotics on display - something along the lines of Harpenden's excellent 'Classics on the Common' - people even pay to display their cars there; that would surely help with the venue rental costs.

Finally get some fair ground rides in for when everyone is a bit tipsy, some burger vans and a couple of beer tents and you've got a cracking event that would be worth every penny of the entry fee IMO.

You could even look to tie-in with a local steam rally or something - Redbourn, nearby to the showground, used to have an annual steam rally - just to get some more stuff in for attendees to look at, and this would probably also attract a wider crowd.

Edited by ChipsAndCheese on Thursday 3rd July 10:51

[Cotty]

ChipsAndCheese said:

Finally get some fair ground rides in for when everyone is a bit tipsy, some burger vans and a couple of beer tents and you've got a cracking event that would be worth every penny of the entry fee IMO.

You want all that and you still don't want to pay anything. Do you work for free? If not why do you expect everyone else to?

[ChipsAndCheese]

Cotty said:

You want all that and you still don't want to pay anything. Do you work for free? If not why do you expect everyone else to?

And where have I said I don't want to pay anything? I would happily pay £50+ for an event that had that. I would also expect to pay extra on top for food, rides and beers.

My local village steam rally has most of that and charges £10 per person entry - more if they want to camp. Classics on the Common charge nothing to visit (they make their money by charging people to display their cars but I wouldn't suggest that for this), but again I would happily pay an entry fee for that because it is so well organised.

I'm sure a deal could be struck with food vendors and fair ground ride owners - they would make their money from ride/food sales so long as they weren't charged much to pitch up at the event.

IMO this has the potential to be something great that would be enjoyed by thousands of PHers, and their friends and family alike. I am concerned that, as it stands, it will be under-attended and a loss maker for PH, and that would be a real shame as it would certainly lead to Pistonfest being retired, never to return. Believe me, I want it to be good, and I would love to go, but it needs to represent better value and sound more entertaining than it currently does for it to be worth the £150+ I would likely be spending on tickets. You may not agree, but there appears to be plenty on here who do.

I am also not intending to shoot down the efforts of Nathan and the PH team, but I am being honest about why I am currently not planning to attend. I am also trying to suggest ways in which it could be improved and be more attractive to potential attendees, hopefully without adding an unreasonable amount to PH's organisational costs. Free pitching for vendors with them keeping their profits from sales would surely appeal to them and would likely bring in more punters to the event. A non-camping, day only, option for locals would also do the same.

Edited by ChipsAndCheese on Thursday 3rd July 11:36

[Shnozz]

Ah, the old PH friendly atmosphere. It's started already.

[Cotty]

ChipsAndCheese said:

And where have I said I don't want to pay anything? I would happily pay £50+ for an event that had that. I would also expect to pay extra on top for food, rides and beers.

Sorrly my mistake I read that last line as free entry not entry fee.

ChipsAndCheese said:

Finally get some fair ground rides in for when everyone is a bit tipsy, some burger vans and a couple of beer tents and you've got a cracking event that would be worth every penny of the entry fee IMO.

Im not feeling very well today, proabably shouldn't have come to work. Temprature of 101 is not really normal.

[V41LEY]

Shnozz said:

Ah, the old PH friendly atmosphere. It's started already.

Classic !! Just had to wipe down the PC after an involuntary ejection of beer

[VinceFox]

[JonRB]

Maybe take SniffPetrol's suggestion and have a Cavalcade of Classics?

[UH-Matt]

Just around the corner, was considering coming but can't see any detail what so ever? Can see others have posted exactly what I was thinking... Please clarify PH so some of us who are interested can think about signing up?

Also is this the sort of thing you bring your pride and joy to and camp with, or go for the camper van and leave the exotic at home? (I guess I could bring both being a couple of miles away!)!

[anonymous-user]

This would be taken a lot more seriously if a PistonFest banner was pinned to the top of the page. At the moment all you're getting is the people that frequent the site daily. I haven't been on PH for a few days and completely missed the update. Even if you come onto PH every other day, you'll miss the update. It's already way down the front page.