rmaynard 14,854 #1 Posted October 10, 2021 (edited) As many of you know, the South Mountain Fairgrounds is the home of the "Big Show", the annual Wheel Horse Collectors Club Show. A well organized event. For years I have seen ads on TV and on the web for the Apple Harvest Festival, and thought it would be fun to go. This first picture is where @buckrancher and I set up our canopies. The next picture is of the intersection of the drives near the back of the show taken from just in front of where @Ed Kennell usually sets up. This image is looking from the back of the grounds, up the road where @stevebo used to set up camp. Everything to the right is where we all park our trailers. The only redeeming thing about the whole show was that there were a few Wheel Horse on display. Given the chance to go to this $10 per person event again, I'll pass. Edited October 10, 2021 by rmaynard 6 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPINJIM 1,978 #2 Posted October 10, 2021 Wife and I went to the Apple Festival two years ago. It was a 'mob scene'. Not enjoyable, because you couldn't take two steps without bumping into someone. Lines were long and prices were high, even for the locally grown apples. Only good part was a country music group that was pretty good. We had some Rita's water ice while we listened to them. I found myself hoping that the crowd wouldn't chew up our WH ground too badly. Went once, not again. Jim 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,981 #3 Posted October 10, 2021 Same here. I went once about 20 yrs ago. Going through the barns you just got pushed by the crowd. Haven't been back since... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 14,854 #4 Posted October 10, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, SPINJIM said: I found myself hoping that the crowd wouldn't chew up our WH ground too badly. They did put down a lot of new gravel around the infield and in front of the barns. At $10.00 per head, over 4 days, plus $400 to rent a space in the barn, and $1000 to have a tent in the mid-way, the attendance must be over 100,000, and the take should be well over a million dollars. They could afford to pay the fairgrounds enough to pave the roads, put in more modern bathrooms, update the sound system, and have AT&T put in an antenna for cell service. Edited October 10, 2021 by rmaynard 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 35,486 #5 Posted October 10, 2021 27 minutes ago, roadapples said: Same here. I went once about 20 yrs ago. Going through the barns you just got pushed by the crowd. Haven't been back since... Seems like 20 but was probably 40 years ago when I was there Jay. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,981 #6 Posted October 10, 2021 21 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said: Seems like 20 but was probably 40 years ago when I was there Jay. I can remember by who I was with. Not the same one I'm with now.... 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 36,940 #7 Posted October 10, 2021 WOW! When they're raking it in like that makes one wonder why they even put up with us there. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 14,854 #8 Posted October 10, 2021 The folks that own the fairgrounds probably get the same rent from them as they do from the WHCC, $1500/day, plus electric and water. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPINJIM 1,978 #9 Posted October 10, 2021 3 hours ago, rmaynard said: and have AT&T put in an antenna for cell service. AT&T cell service would be great. When my wife can't get reach me by phone, she either worries about me, or thinks I'm out carousing with beer or other women. She should know I'm too old for that. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 35,486 #10 Posted October 10, 2021 28 minutes ago, SPINJIM said: or thinks I'm out carousing When Mrs K can't reach me, she thinks I fell out of my tree. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,815 #11 Posted October 11, 2021 What the heck is the big draw? All those people for apples? We got a lot of apples up here. And people aren't nutso over them? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,981 #12 Posted October 11, 2021 3 hours ago, squonk said: What the heck is the big draw? All those people for apples? We got a lot of apples up here. And people aren't nutso over them? It's basically an arts and crafts show, (dust catchers). Women like to say "you boys and your toys". Well, once you've seen this place you'll know...women will buy anything..... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 38,815 #13 Posted October 11, 2021 7 minutes ago, roadapples said: It's basically an arts and crafts show, (dust catchers). Women like to say "you boys and your toys". Well, once you've seen this place you'll know...women will buy anything..... We have a big state park about an hour from me. It takes about 20 minutes to drive from one end to the other. We had a family picnic their one year on the South end. We heard they had a craft show going on somewhere in the park. When we left we decided to drive to the opposite end to see the scenery. We found the craft show at the other end. All I can say is "HOLY CRAP!" 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wheelhorse#1 1,445 #14 Posted October 14, 2021 I know this threads a little old now but, me a the wife went and it was dam crazy crowded. We went pre Covid.It wasn’t near as crowded as it was this yr. Parking was a pain.Two hr wait for the bus but luckily we found parking at a house right by the park 10.00 bucks. Don’t believe we will be going next yr.Nothing but a bunch of Chinese crafts ,people don’t make stuff anymore. I plan on attending the WH show next yr.Bring the tractors and set up camp 👍 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
