PA Jeeps
PA Jeeps Club Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: Rick_Bear on September 03, 2010, 09:27:09 pm
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Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival on August 12-14, 2011 in Butler, Pa. We're busy pulling together all of the behind-the-scenes work that's needed when organizing an event of this size. We hope to have registration materials available on the site in early October, so please be sure to check back and sign up!
We're writing today to ask for your assistance in helping the Butler Community win a $25,000 grant to help preserve the Bantam Building in Downtown Butler. This building is where the American Bantam Car Company designed and built the world's first jeep. Please read details below....
Help save the Bantam Building in Butler, where the Jeep was born!
Butler Downtown has entered the Bantam Building, the factory where America's first jeeps were produced, in the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "This Place Matters Community Challenge." The project is in the running to win $25,000 to help preserve the building and its history. Communities all over the country have identified historic sites worthy of support and the community with the most votes will win not only national recognition, but also the $25,000 prize.
VOTING IS EASY AND ONLY TAKES A MINUTE! Click the link below...
http://my.preservationnation.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9491&security=2862&s_interest=3225
and then register to vote. But hurry! Voting ends on September 15 so we have less than two weeks to put our project in the lead.
About the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival:
The Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival is organized by the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau and a group of committed volunteers and Jeep enthusiasts who want to create a signature annual event celebrating Butler, Pa.'s role as the birthplace of the jeep. The Festival will take place in Downtown Butler and at the Butler County Fairgrounds along Route 422, just west of Butler. Our goal is to create a premier annual event that attracts Jeep enthusiasts from all over the Mid-Atlantic region.
Please help us spread the word by sharing this information with your favorite web sites, forums, blogs and fellow jeep enthusiasts. Thanks for your help!
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Was talking to the tourism folks that had a booth setup at Quadratec promoting this event. They started out by saying this event will be much larger, have more to offer and will be attended by thousands more than PAJeeps. I simply smiled, wished them luck and walked away..... Little cocky on their part in my opinion.....
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Well, there is nothing wrong with having high hopes and setting high goals. This is being put on by the Tourism Bureau and advertising has been HUGE.
I hope they do gather a HUGE attendance that makes our annual event look small.
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I hope their event has a good turnout as well.... Just thought it was a poor choice for them to promote their event as bigger and better in every way than PAJeeps. Promote your own event on it's own merit, dont try to over shadow and reference a hugely successful event approaching it's 16th year. They even commented that Chantelle and I should consider changing the date for our 3rd Annual Topless for Tata's run since it falls on the same weekend.
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Hey, when you are the best you have to expect others to try and emulate your success. That just goes to show that we have the event by which others will be measured. It's almost a compliment. ;)
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People will attend to see what it's about, that's for sure. IMO I don't think they are banking on creating a long term event.
They are looking to save a building and I've been supporting their efforts to do so with consultations.
If their intention post event is to continue I wish them the best.
Our Club and its Annual Jeep Show has been very fortunate to draw and retain dedicated members with forsight as well as gaining and retaining the support of businesses forseeing the same.
The PA Jeeps Club and it's Jeep Show just happened to be ahead of everyone else at the time of its creation. ...The rest is history and with good fortune for all that enjoy it should have a good future as well.
What our Jeep Show offers, is going to be quite difficult for anyone else to re-create. We promote "TOGETHERNESS" at VERY minimal cost. Not to mention the enjoyment of the GREATEST vehicle EVER manufactured by man that provides camaraderie rarely found elsewhere during a two day event. With its venue it does provide the TOTAL JEEP package.
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i know its early but whos in for this or even thinking?
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I'm probably goin
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i am going
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I'm 98% certain I will be attending myself. It's a "Road Trip" for sure and I'll most likely grap up a hotel room. I've been consulting with the Tourism Bureau about this event since this past April/May and will make every effort to attend.
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getting even closer, are we making a club appearance before i register as a single?
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we will be there :)
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Adam .I'm going and already reserved hotel,last month actually. Not sure if I am taking either of the Willys at this point
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Ron - what hotel did you book a room at? I just checked online and there does not seem to be any vacancies anywhere. I was interested in going to this, but not sure where to stay.
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Colli, I am at Fairfield Inn of Butler. I booked back in January knowing that there is not much out there and it would fill up fast.
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Ah. Yes that one is booked up. I think there are still vacancies at the Super 8 in Butler, but the reviews are not favorable. Might have to get out my tent if I'm going to make it up there.
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Since I live in Pittsburgh now, I'll be attending.
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So who all is going to this? I know I have heard a bunch of folks talking about, but I was wondering who will actually be up there from the club. Should we maybe make an effort to meet up at some point somewhere as a group? Maybe we should show our club unity and all wear club staff shirts?
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Jake and I are workin the Playground and Keith is guiding as far as I know.
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Keith, myself and some of the EVOR guys are guiding
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Lori and I will be going but no jeep it's broke again >:(
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I won't be going back today, I thought the parade was a cluster f#*k. All the planing they said they did and this was the best they could do. We attended your show for the first time this year and we will be back. Everything went so smooth at your show, for a first timer you guys really took care and got us in and out with no problems. Thanks again for this year and we'll see you next year.
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I'm sorry to read that your experience was less than favorable for you. However, we do appreciate your kind words for our Annual Jeep Show.
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winemaker - I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience. I don't know if you have participated in many parades before, but it is pretty typical to spend most of your time waiting, and waiting, and waiting. It's sort of like an egg timer. All that sand can't get through the tiny opening at once so it takes some time. With over 1200 Jeeps all trying to get to the same street at speeds slow enough for people to look at everything, it was bound to be agonizingly slow. I was there too and I thought they actually did a decent job of organizing everyone in the different color coded lots and there was tons of volunteers to help direct everyone. Sure, there are some things that they could have done better... like the really long wait inside at registration... but it was their first time so I have to cut them some slack. I'm sure they will learn from this year and make some changes to make it better next year. I agree that our show runs pretty smooth, but this was our 16th year so we've had some practice. I have not been around since our first show, but I would imagine we experienced some growing pains as well along the way. Anyway, its a shame if you didn't come out to the rest of the events on Saturday because although there were some things that could have been run better there too, it was a fun event. Thanks again for the kind words about our show.
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Dad worked on the "play ground" I got tapped to help out on the on site trails which, while short, were enough to give new comers a taste of what a trail ride would be like. My impression is that these ran surprisingly well (there were a lot of veteran trail guides that were familiar with each other, such as Keith, Jen, Dave, Ron and myself as well as some others I am forgetting) There was a short stock (about 5 minutes), a long stock (about 20 minutes) and a "moderate" trail. (could take a well equipped jeep 15 minutes and a stock grand cherokee several hours (don't ask)) I spent most of my time on the moderate trail until after the Saturday nights thunderstorms + hundreds of jeeps wore the trail to the point were 33" and front and rear lockers were no longer enough resulting in this stuck. These images ARE of the bypass! I was a guinea pig on the decision to require 35" tires and two lockers with GOOD tires At this point it was a "uncontrollable slide down the greasy hole which was pretty badly dug out. If you managed to get your front axle up on the bank the jeep tended to walk back and forth across the slope instead of up. The next crossing was almost as challenging. The long stock trail could also hang up the unwary, I got high centered on a tree stump for instance and at the exit which was getting pretty sloppy they stuck the backhoe while repairing the damage. Sorry these were the only real photos I got.
(http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/1353/66057467123619227770.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/202/66057467123619227770.jpg/)
(http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/2969/66057481623619232580.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/716/66057481623619232580.jpg/)
(http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4719/66057575623619265260.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/687/66057575623619265260.jpg/)
(http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/7152/66057570523619263560.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/23/66057570523619263560.jpg/)
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Oh, and I forgot to mention - there were 3 local wineries at the show giving tastings. Surely someone whose screen name is "winemaker" would appreciate that.
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I had a good time guiding for this event. Rausch Creek did a great job of cutting small trails and had a nice obstacle course. Rausch also had their sections very well organized and where ready for 1200 jeeps, but not everyone wanted to trail ride so i feel it was kinda slow where i was. But i know the show field was packed. As Colli said they had 3 local wineries which i made sure to stop and test them all, after my guiding job was over of course! ;D There were a good bit of the same vendors from our show and quadratec of course. It was fun to hang at the EVOR guys tent and catch up with them and of course hanging with friends and camping made the weekend even better. I will do it again next year .
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I have to agree with Jenn and Colli, they had some first year jitters. I worked on the O coarse most of the day saturday and it ran very well. A few more off road experienced volunteers would have been good on sunday as we were a little short but as usual, the Rauch guys did an awsome job keepin the wheelin portion of the event movin along smoothly. Thanks Bruce and Kyle for inviting the PA Jeeps crew along.
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Forgotten history of Jeep sparks Bantam bash
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/motoring/news/article.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10745259
Patti Jo from Bantam sent me this link to a New Zealand news paper that was picked up by AP at the event. Cut and paste the link and check out the Yellow Flatty with yours truly.
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You have to click on the photos of inaugural event. (8 photos )
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LpWv4cNHPc