Hershey traditions

[bikejunk]

I guess Im kinda new to this game my first Hershey was 1996 I do miss camping right across the street for 50 bucks for the entire week . I dont remember what year it was exactly but one guy in a wheel chair stuck in the mud and everybody helping to push him thru . And yes walking around the car coral at night that was great = also buying stuff from the long lines of vendors waiting hours to get on the fields (when it would rain they would hold up letting people on the grounds) I still love Hershey !!

[Clem Clement]

Remember today's special event is tomorrow's tradition.

[pooch]

How many separate trading sites are there at Hershey ?

Would like to know how many individual traders .

Disregard motorhomes merely parking and the any one trader taking multiple sites.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Well, I think they have 9,000 spaces available. Personally I think the motor home thing is a bit overblown but let's say 15% are used for parking,or 1,350 spaces. That leaves 7,650. If we further assume most people take a couple spaces we can roughly say 3,825 unique vendors. I feel like at least half of them have something related to model A and or T cars. Not bad, IMHO. Hershey region is not perfect but I still think they do a decent job keeping out the junk - jewelry, num chucks, weird novelties and such compared to some other venues.

[jim1932]

Originally Posted by Barry B./ Ma.

My ankles are still sore from last week, asphalt is tough on the feet.

Hmmm, pushing 80 might have something to do with it.

I'm 30 under you, go to the gym 4 days a week and my legs were killing me after one day.

My Hershey tradition is to plan to go every year, then have some family thing kill it. Finally went to my first this year. Sore legs and sunburn and some good parts made for a good day.

[pooch]

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Originally Posted by Steve_Mack_CT

Well, I think they have 9,000 spaces available. Personally I think the motor home thing is a bit overblown but let's say 15% are used for parking,or 1,350 spaces. That leaves 7,650. If we further assume most people take a couple spaces we can roughly say 3,825 unique vendors. I feel like at least half of them have something related to model A and or T cars. Not bad, IMHO. Hershey region is not perfect but I still think they do a decent job keeping out the junk - jewelry, num chucks, weird novelties and such compared to some other venues.

That sounds very good.

Our biggest swap is Bendigo, I think they say 2000 sites, I reckon there may be 1000 unique vendors with about maybe 10 with model A bits and 10 with T bits.

To have almost 2000 to have something model A/T related would be paradise to us here.

Over here they advertise Ballarat as the biggest , but it ain't.

Lots of wide open empty sites this year.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Jim, what I take from that being that we are close in age, is I am no worse for the wear by skipping the gym!! :-)

Reminds me of a preparation tradition - I buy a new pair of sneakers in September so they break in a bit but are ready to go on Hershey week. Helps a bit when you have a couple extra pounds especially!

I always book vacation for Hershey in january. This year, my niece had the nerve to schedule her wedding for last Saturday. Good kid but really? ?! Cut things a bit short this year. Well we snuck a day in on Wednesday, took my wife this year who enjoyed it but yes, an exhausting day.

Pooch, hopefully you can get back east for the meet one of these days!

[pooch]

Steve, on my bucket list is to fly into LA and grab a motorhome and do Bonneville speed week and then Hershey and then the whole of route 66.

[Doug Linden]

I have fond memories of the Red and Blue fields as well. Although the hill of the Blue field did make it hard to push the strollers for the two kids. We had a camper on the field near the airport (eventually the white field) and one morning woke up with ice in the water bucket. It did get cold. I recall many vendors with lighting for night sales and getting half chicken dinners on the field before it got too dark. Remember the bi-plane that gave rides? LOL on the message board. That really did work to get in touch with people before the cell phones arrival. Speaking of phones, how about the lines at the payphones that were brought in for the show.

[Steve_Mack_CT]

When cell phones initially came into heavy use it was not uncommon to have difficulty with them on the field I think due to the number of people in one place...

[Oldbluoval]

I am one of the aged attendees. I did make note of the apparent ages of those I saw walking. Looked like a whole bunch over at least 60 (if not 65). Also, many foreign languages heard.
Makes me wonder of the future of my early ford interest.
Not to wax melancholy but the year-to-year disappearance of long time vendors kind of makes me sad. But that's the way of God's plan.
It does seem that the non-auto related vending is getting larger.
I want to give a huge thanks to Hershey Region for their efforts all these years! What a chore but what a gift to all of us. Thanks!!

[loubob]

I started going to Hershey in the 60's when it was held inside the stadium. I had a space, in the blue field for close to 30 years. In the early vending years, Hershey officials were sticklers for when you could enter the fields to set up. I was a very big collector of Hupmobile literature and related collectibles for all years. We got to know who the big literature dealers were and would go over to their motor homes, or whatever, and go inside and get 1st pickings. There were many literature collectors/dealers that did this. Also walking those muddy fields many times. I got to know a lot of dealers/vendors and made many friends, some of whom are now gone. Have not been there in about 10 years but plan to go next year. I passed up "tons" of Ford lit. as I had no interest in it at that time. Boy, If I only knew then what I know now.............

[Bruce,Upstate NY]

I was at the first Hershey meet in '54 but missed quite a few since, but still vend there. Harold Gilbert from Dansville N.Y. vended there in '54 and never missed a year until , I think, 5 or 6 years ago. I miss the days of planes coming and going and some were biplanes.

[Roadster62]

My first Hershey was back in 1969, haven't missed one since. I really miss all the people that have made the hobby so much fun, they are still there in spirit. In 1969 there was only the Blue field and it filled about 1/3 of what is now Hershey Park, I remember standing at the snow fence overlooking the open field wondering if the flea market would ever fill that area. Both our kids went to Hershey before their first birthday, and I can say the same for the Grandkids. Bob