INTRODUCTION
So, you are thinking about organizing a classic car show for your church as an outreach event. You are looking for a different kind of event that will expose more of your community to your church and more importantly to Jesus Christ in a low-threat manner. Automotive events, especially those geared (no pun intended) toward classic automobiles are popular all over the country and attract people of all ages. A cruise-in or car show (we’ll cover the difference later) is a great outreach event that more and more churches are using as outreach events in their communities. If your church has plenty of outdoor space such as a large parking lot or field or access to such space, you can have a classic car event that will draw families and people of all ages in your community. It’s an event that can work in urban, suburban, and rural environments.
Cruise-ins and car shows invoke nostalgia and interest in simpler times when cars dripped with chrome instead of plastic. Imagine an outdoor event at your church where the parking lot or a grassy area is full of shiny, old, classic cars while people casually admire the cars, meet new people, and enjoy food and entertainment, all in a “low-threat” environment. Many guests will be surprised they had a good time at a church event. It provides an opportunity for guests to walk away with a more positive impression of Jesus, of churches, and “church people.”
This guide is designed to help you design your event, budget for your event, and conduct it. You will need lots of help (more on that later) and of course, you will need to coordinate the date, times, and details with your church leadership. This guide is classic car-centric but don’t forget motorcycles, old trucks, late model street rods, and specialty vehicles such as hearses, old fire engines, military Jeeps, etc. that often participate in these events.
Manage your expectations. It’s hard to predict the turnout for your first event. Talk to those who have organized other cruise-ins or car shows in your area (at churches and other locations) to find out what their first year turnout was and how much publicity they did. Turnout in the first year may be disappointing despite a massive publicity campaign. If you inject professionalism into the event and demonstrate sincerity that you appreciate the turnout of those who brought a car and those who came out to enjoy a car show, you will get repeat turnout and new attendees in successive years. Your event must prove itself and establish a positive reputation. It will grow as you repeat it. Don’t forget to pray regularly while planning your event and trust the Lord to accomplish His will during the planning and execution of the event. Keep in mind that high attendance numbers are not always part of what the Lord wants for an outreach event.
To get a small sample of churches who organize car shows, visit these websites:
http://www.christ-sanctuary.org/cruisein05.htm
http://east.columbuschristian.net/cruisein.htm
http://www.salemavebaptistchurch.org/carshow.htm
http://www.covchurch.org/cov/news/item5112
http://www.cruisenewsonline.com/SBC-Coverage.html
A Cruise-In or Car Show as an Outreach Event
A classic car cruise-in or car show can be a “lead-in” to new folks exploring what your church has to offer and to unbelievers becoming more open to Jesus. It can lead to new relationships and connections to people who otherwise would not be on church grounds were it not for a car show. It’s not necessarily a “Christian” event like a Christian music concert or drama would be. However, your cruise-in or car show will look a lot like ones held all over the country in parking lots and fields at strip malls, schools, parks, restaurants, and other locations. They are becoming increasingly common as a church outreach event. Almost everybody likes to see shiny, old cars, whether or not they know a spark plug from a tire jack.
Is There A Difference Between a Cruise-In and a Car
Show?
Yes. A cruise-in usually does not award prizes and trophies whereas a car show usually does. I say “usually” because sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably. Categories for awards and trophies come in a wide variety, such as “Best Paint,” “Best 50’s Car,” “Best Unrestored Classic,” “People’s Choice,” “Pastor’s Choice,” “Best Muscle Car,” “Best Import,” etc. A cruise-in is usually a more casual affair. Cruise-ins and car shows often have several other features such as music (live or music CDs), door prizes, dash plaques, and food and drinks.
Cruise-ins generally do not charge a registration fee for car owner participants whereas car shows normally do in order to subsidize the cost of the awards and other expenses. Car show registration fees are typically $5 - $10 per car. Spectators are usually not charged a fee in either event.
I recommend cruise-ins (without awards), especially if this will be your first classic car event. Cruise-ins are more inclusive and simpler and cheaper to conduct without awards. A car show can keep some car owners home that have not yet (or just can’t) invest a lot of time and money into restoring their vehicle to show winning condition. I personally don’t mind admiring a rust bucket of a 1953 Buick Skylark that was just pulled out of a barn where it sat and deteriorated for 27 years and still smells like mouse urine inside. That is an extreme example but you get the idea. Cruise-ins can bring out more of the “daily driver” classics that are still intriguing despite their rust and imperfect interiors.
You can also do a hybrid event where car owners who want to compete for awards can pay a registration fee and get a numbered windshield placard for reference by the judges and park in a designated “show car” area. All others park in a different area for the cruise-in.
If you want to have a lot of family and kid oriented elements as well as the car-related elements, you may want to call your event a Classic Car Fest or something similar.
Another variation is a multi-day event. One format could be a cruise-in on a Friday night followed by a judged car show/car fest on Saturday. City downtown areas and parks often have these types of events.
Decide early what kind of event you want to have.
Supporting a Charity or Non-Profit Organization
Whichever type of event you organize, consider partnering with a well-known charity or non profit organization in your area. Some churches advertise proceeds go directly to church ministries such as the youth group, a building fund, a playground project, etc. However, I believe supporting and partnering with a well known charity or non-profit organization can create a wider appeal in the community to those unfamiliar with your church’s beliefs and ministries. Proceeds from registration, food sales, t-shirt sales, etc. can be donated to the selected charity or non-profit. Examples include the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, a local homeless shelter, a local food bank, etc. An event benefiting a food bank could have the “registration” or “admission” fee be grocery items. The selected beneficiary might even provide volunteers and participate in publicity. Regardless of the beneficiary you choose, keep your event outreach focused rather than focused on fundraising. If you sell food, keep the prices low (e.g. $2 for a burger, chips, and soda). The low price advice also applies to merchandise you might sell such as commemorative t-shirts. If you have a registration fee, keep it as low as you reasonably can.
What Kind of Cars Should I Expect?
“Classic cars” generally refers to cars from the early 70’s and older although there are strict age and make/model definitions for serious enthusiasts. Many events are advertised as open to all classic vehicles. Other events get specific with age (e.g. pre-1977). You are likely to end up with a mixture of original vehicles of all conditions, restored vehicles, “resto-mods” (cars that look original but have modern or high performance drivetrains), customs, hot rods, street rods, old trucks, newer or old motorcycles, and possibly some “specialty vehicles” such as hearses, military vehicles, old fire trucks, and old police cars. In some parts of the country, old tractors and other combustion engine farm equipment are also featured. All of this variation can make award categories tricky. Be specific about what you want in your advertising or leave it as “open to all classic vehicles” and enjoy what arrives.
Here’s a side (and true) story on old hearses since having one or more on display is one way to get your guests to think about life after death: I was at a car show where the vehicles all had placards in the windshields identifying year/make/model/special features. In the special features box of the placard, the owner of an old Hearse had written “plenty of legroom.” Ha!!