Hershey Swap for 2024

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KUDZUVIPER

Well-known member
I haven't been in 4-5 years, when did it become a Tuesday thru Friday event? Doesn't quite seem right for the people that have a normal work week.
 
KUDZUVIPER said:
I haven't been in 4-5 years, when did it become a Tuesday thru Friday event? Doesn't quite seem right for the people that have a normal work week.
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As I understand it, the Swap Meet is a major inconvenience for Hersco (-or whatever the company's name that owns the facility) and so Tuesday - Friday is much better for them vs. losing the parking for their normal Saturday customers. Therefore as I understood it coming 2nd or 3rd hand was it is take Tue - Friday or lose the entire deal.

And FWIW, the swap meet was basically over by noon-ish on Friday anyway, and Saturday was mainly the car show.
 
I scheduled my time off from work for this year's Hershey last November.

It's nice to get away from work for a bit and even nicer walking around and looking at car parts. :D
 
Dave Mellor NJ said:
Slow decline just like the rest of the hobby
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Dave I would agree with you with maybe one exception. Attendance at the one-day, -or two-day Swap Meets seemingly are growing every year with the exception of Chickasha. Since the Luray swap meet is probably the closest in location to Hershey that caters more to the pre-war stuff, I will say from personal experience, I tend to find/buy just as much stuff there at Luray as I did at Hershey. I think people are liking the idea of scavenging on about 3 acres vs. 80-something acres of Hershey. The same applies for Gilmore, Brattons, and other little 1 or 2 day swap meets.
 
I've gotten use to the new Hershey dates, the buying crowd Tuesday-Thursday seems to be larger, and they don't put off buying till the next day.
I return home on Friday and miss the High-school football traffic.
 
The shift in days is a "done deal". Only HERCO and Hershey Region AACA know why. That said, as a vendor, I didn't notice a big difference in overall crowd last year. Unlike Wick, however, over in the Green Field we did notice customers who felt they could wait until the next day ............
maybe the NEXT YEAR (LOL) ........... to make their purchases.

Here's the deal ............. it's still HERSHEY!!!! Good friends, same old stories (told over and over), with the same laughs, same remembrances, thoughts of those who are no longer there with us still abound. Not to mention .... 4 days in Old Car Heaven and the chance to make new memories. Hope to see you all in October!
 
Is that a good place to sell/buy a finished car? Didn't they used to have an auction too?
 
It is nothing secret...... The AACA Hershey swap meet had to move their schedule one day earlier so that HERCO (Hershey Park) could use the parking area for their newly created annual "Hersheypark Halloween" and "Dark Nights" events which take place now from September 13 - November 3, only on Friday nights (5pm-10pm) and Saturday (12pm-10pm) and Sunday (12pm-9pm).

Otherwise, Hershey Park during that fall season is closed Monday-Friday (to 5pm)....so their parking lots are still available for the AACA swap meet during those weekdays.

Here is the link to the "Hersheypark Halloween" and "Dark Nights" opening schedules: https://www.hersheypark.com/assets/pdf/info/hours/24HP43147%20-%20HP%20Halloween%20and%20DN%20Hours.pdf

Brad in Maryland
 
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I hate to be a doomsayer but the truth is in the numbers. The car corral is down, the attendance is down, the fields are consolidating, no problem getting a spacemuch less true old car stuff, the number of As at the show is way down, etc
 
Dave Mellor NJ said:
I hate to be a doomsayer but the truth is in the numbers. The car corral is down, the attendance is down, the fields are consolidating, no problem getting a spacemuch less true old car stuff, the number of As at the show is way down, etc
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Dave, I watched a one and a half hour YouTube video on last year's Hershey and all I can say is, I'll be saving myself lots of time and trouble and cash by staying home.

I saw a lot of empty spaces. Vendor stalls taken up by everyday cars and campers. The few items the guy zoomed in on with asking prices, was stupid money to me. An orange and black circa 1955 Phillips 66 48" porcelain sign for $10,000. Seriously? Unless some complete idiot with a LOT of expendable cash stumbles along looks like you're packing that baby up and hauling it home!

And on and on and on....

I'd rather save time and money by buying from Bratton's, Snyder's, Bert's Mike's Affordable, Tam's, Smith and Jones,.... the tried and true Model A vendors and others, and have it delivered to my door.

Plus you aren't paying that damn Pennsylvania sales tax. And having some dill weed on a motorized wheelchair run into you from the back:eek:

Quick story. A good buddy from NW Illinois, went last year and all he bought was a NOS '30-'31 radiator cap. He was real proud of it, for ten bucks.

I told him he didn't pay ten bucks for that, he paid $1400 in travel expenses etc. and etc. so he paid $1410, for a radiator cap. I bought an excellent used one from Bert's last winter for $25.

Who do you think came out ahead on THAT deal !!
 
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Hershey is/was more than just a flea market. It’s a meet-up of people of same interest.
All those vendors mentioned by Jeff are the backbone of the hobby. With slight exception, where are you going to find used parts and the once-in-a-lifetime finds?
I don’t go much anymore because of physical limits and distance; just can’t walk it like I used to! But it used to be a highlight of my year!
Change is inevitable in all of life…..Hershey has changed and will continue to do so…for better or worse!
 
If the Hershey officials would hold the venders to the rules like they used to they could probably reduce the spaces by half. I've been going since 1969 only missing a few when Uncle Sam had me. Last year I did the flea market on Thursday and you could walk down some rows with only 1 or no venders, the rest of the spaces were filled with parked vehicles and campers, or empty. I guess it's all about money like everything else. I'm going to go on Wednesday this year, and the car show on Friday.
 
I always advise people to come as early in the week as they can. Now that the dates have changed, Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days and things are slowing considerably by Thursday and by Friday it is pretty much dead.
Vendor set-ups have been down some the last few years but I am always hopeful that it'll bounce back. I was pleasantly surprised at Carlisle this past spring.
 
I gave up on Carlisle many years ago when I got a $25 ticket for Illegal living {sleeping} in my vehicle. i never paid the ticket and never went back. I guess I'm a fugitive. I gave up Macungie a few years ago as it just dwindled down to being not worth the effort. This might be my last Hershey after46 or 47 years
 
Dave, I think that is what one calls a vagabond........too funny! I wouldnt have paid the ticket either.


Last time I was at Hershey was around 10 yrs ago. Nobody was buying then either. The big money was coming from europe. swedes and norwegians were grabbing up everything they could get. Restoration Specialties, from Windmere PA told me he sold a few thousand in toppings and it all went to Sweden.
The cars Ive sold in the last ten yrs have had a 50% rate of travel to foreign countries. America has been broke for awhile...............We've discussed this in the past and always a few naysayers, but facts are facts. no denying it.
 
ronn said:
Dave, I think that is what one calls a vagabond........too funny! I wouldnt have paid the ticket either.


Last time I was at Hershey was around 10 yrs ago. Nobody was buying then either. The big money was coming from europe. swedes and norwegians were grabbing up everything they could get. Restoration Specialties, from Windmere PA told me he sold a few thousand in toppings and it all went to Sweden.
The cars Ive sold in the last ten yrs have had a 50% rate of travel to foreign countries. America has been broke for awhile...............We've discussed this in the past and always a few naysayers, but facts are facts. no denying it.
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I guess I’ll be a naysayer. I disagree with these percentages and numbers.

No one on this forum has truly seen it all, buyers, sellers A, T, Model N, Packard, Rolls, Franklin, Pierce or others.

Hershey has its up and down, ebb and flow. Some are related to, opening dates, others are weather related.

I’ll be there, stay home with your doubts and save the NOS stuff for me.
 
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