Hershey Parade- Anybody get in?

[dheinz]

I received an email today from those in charge at the Parade that I am#146 on the waiting list for confirmation.
I am disappointed.
Anybody else accepted or rejected, please respond.

[rw229]

There's a waiting list??? I guess I should have planned a little further ahead!

Anyway, does anyone know if one can attend as a spectator, without participating in any of the events? I'm local and it would be nice to spend a day checking out the cars.

[osidak]

Was planning on Spectating as well. The logistics just didn't work out for me to "attend" this year.

[85Gold]

I,m in, I also sent in my registration on the 1st day we could. It was a no brainer as my daughter lives in Hershey, free room and board. No rally or concours just
Auto-X for me.

Peter
Trying to get faster

[BER]

Eddie,

I'm in...I received my acceptance email on March 1st. I had applied on-line on the first day of registration.

Bruce

[Phrog]

We're in but have many friends on waiting list. Event sold out with apx. 1350 registration requests total and over 1100 on first day. There are only apx. 600 spaces available, so many people will unfortunately miss out.

[Halm]

I am #489 on the wait list.

There is a growing group of "non-registrants" planning on attending what we can. In my correspondence with the Parade folks, I know we can go to the Concours, Swap meet and Literature show. Some of these will cost a "small fee." We can not stay (or at least get the Parade rates) at the Hershey Lodge.

Omar, drop me a note and you can join our group heading up!

[RallyJon]

So lemme get this straight: they've never even sold out before but this year they're oversubscribed by 200%? Who's the rocket scientist that planned this event?

What if you just show up? Sounds to me like the place is going to be overrun by the great unwashed--would serve them right.

[dheinz]

Bruce,
I also applied on line the first day of registration. Here is my waitng list email.
Edward Heinz,



Thanks so very much for registering for the 50th Porsche Parade at Hershey. We regret to inform you that your application will be placed on our waiting list and your waiting list position is: 146.



You were one of over 1,350 PCA members who expressed a desire to attend this event by submitting an application. We are indeed honored that you want to participate. However, due to current capacities and space limitations for our events, we physically cannot accommodate all applicants. Because the Parade was oversubscribed, we applied the Region Procedures Manual (RPM) guidelines and utilized a lottery process driven by random computer-generated numbers to select those were accepted into Parade and to assign positions on the waiting list. Per the RPM, you will be notified of on a regular basis of your status. We will also post the "currently serving" waiting list number on the website.



If you wish to withdraw your name from the waiting list, please inform me by email immediately. We will not process you payment until you accept a registration offer. You will have 7 days to respond to the offer. If you don't respond, your name will be removed from the waiting list.



For those on the waiting list, there are still opportunities to see the Parade. PCAers may attend the National Literature and Parts Swap Meet June 25th and spectate at our Concours d'Elegance, Porsche Parking Corral and Car Show and Historic Porsche Exhibition on June 26th for a small fee.



For those who want to participate in the Parking Corral/Car Show, we encourage you to sign up and park/show your Porsche on our field of dreams - the first time in the history of Parades that this will happen. Based on the number of Parade Registrants who have expressed a desire to participate in the Car Show, spaces are extremely limited. Here's how it works: Registration will open on April 23d and close once available parking corral spaces are filled or on May 1st- whatever comes first. For a $45 registration fee, you can register to show your car in one of our model corrals on the fairways of the Hotel Hershey. No judging for show cars- just good fellowship with fellow model owners and the chance to win a 'Best in Type' award for your particular model group from a panel of honorary judges. For questions on registration for the car show, please contact John Straub (VintgRacer@aol.com) or John Dunkle (john@rennlist.com).



We anticipate a huge response to this special event, so don't delay! If you're in attendance at the April Hershey Swap Meet, the Parade Staff will have a booth there to take your registration in person. As with Parade Registration, all first day applicants will be given equal consideration for acceptance into the show. Please remember two important facts about the car show:

1. All Car Show/ Parking Corral cars MUST be pre-reregistered and prepaid. You cannot just show up the day of the Concours and expect to pay your fee and show your Porsche.

2. There is NO parking at the Hotel Hershey. If members hope to spectate at the Concours, they must take a shuttle bus or enter the car.



Please refer to our website, especially the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for more details on this topic before sending emails to the registrar.



Thanks again for your interest in the 50th Porsche Parade.

[Halm]

Originally posted by RallyJon
So lemme get this straight: they've never even sold out before but this year they're oversubscribed by 200%? Who's the rocket scientist that planned this event?

Are you sure about this? They have never sold out before? If that is true, I'll be inclined to cut them some slack. But I agree that you would think that someone at PCA just might see the significance of the 50th Anniversary. And to choose a location that can only handle 600 registrants seems strange too. IMHO, it is another example of how PCA gets a bad reputation from some Porsche owners.

[304065]

I got in. Registered the first hour of the first day. Gonna bring the '66 to the parking corral and drool at the concours.

[dheinz]

John,
The first hour of te first day did not matter. It is the luck of the draw in the lottery system as per PCA rules.
All first day applicants were considered.

[Grady Clay]

The Parade sells out every year. I joined PCA in ’68 and sent my registration in Certified, stamped just after midnight each year.

The PCA Porsche Parade is one of the more remarkable automobile events in the world.

It is the social event around our Porsche cars.
There is serious competition at concourse d’elegance.
It is a wonderful DE, TSD rally, and auto-X.
There is also great technical stuff, goodie shop, and much more.
The dinners and parties are great. It is a family friendly, Porsche intensive 10 days.

If you didn’t get accepted this year, plan ahead for next year. The difficult issue is that an event can handle only so many entrants and still give the appropriate experience.

If you aren’t an entrant, put up with the difficulties and enjoy the best annual Porsche event in the world.

Best,
Grady

[Halm]

Originally posted by Grady Clay
The Parade sells out every year. . . If you aren’t an entrant, put up with the difficulties and enjoy the best annual Porsche event in the world.
Best,
Grady

I am reasonably sympathetic to their situation. However, if they sell out every year as you say and this year is a particularly special one, it would seem logical to me that 1.) They would put out a special request for extra volunteers to help support a larger turn out, and 2.) Schedule this event at a location that can better handle a larger number of folks. In other words make a special effort to find a proverbial "place at the table" for everyone that wants to come.

I am going to be there and take in as much as I can. Like RR2 last year, it will be the people -registrants and non-registrants- that make these events so much fun. Hope to meet you!

[RallyJon]

Oh well, I go back to the web site to find the quote, and they've updated all the text on the registration page.

If you aren’t an entrant, put up with the difficulties and enjoy the best annual Porsche event in the world.

So you think it's a good idea just to show up?

[jstobo]

According to the PCA website, this is the firdt Parade that has sold out in 25 years. 25th anniversery sold out, 50th sold out you'd think a little more planning might have been done. And yea I'm on the waiting list too.

[kqw]

My experience from going to Hershey swaps over the years is that the facility is able to handle literally thousands of cars.

I suspect that since Hershey is a "theme park" and that the parade takes place in and around the July 4th holiday, Porsche will be competing with one of the parks/areas busiest times of the year.

or...is this an indication that the East Coast is catching up to California in the area of Porschephiles?????:P

[Halm]

Originally posted by dheinz
For those who want to participate in the Parking Corral/Car Show, we encourage you to sign up and park/show your Porsche on our field of dreams. . .Here's how it works: Registration will open on April 23d and close once available parking corral spaces are filled or on May 1st- whatever comes first. For a $45 registration fee, you can register to show your car in one of our model corrals on the fairways of the Hotel Hershey. For questions on registration for the car show, please contact John Straub (VintgRacer@aol.com) or John Dunkle (john@rennlist.com).

We anticipate a huge response to this special event, so don't delay! If you're in attendance at the April Hershey Swap Meet, the Parade Staff will have a booth there to take your registration in person. As with Parade Registration, all first day applicants will be given equal consideration for acceptance into the show. Please remember two important facts about the car show:

1. All Car Show/ Parking Corral cars MUST be pre-reregistered and prepaid. You cannot just show up the day of the Concours and expect to pay your fee and show your Porsche.

2. There is NO parking at the Hotel Hershey. If members hope to spectate at the Concours, they must take a shuttle bus or enter the car.
[/B]

Anyone figure out how to register for this? I have sent emails to Lynn and both Johns with no reply. The web site also fail to detail this -or at least I can't find it.

[RG68912]

I made the cut. I will be taking my '68 912 to the car show corral. I will also be drooling all over the concours cars.

RG68912

[randywebb]

they also give away some wortwhile swag - the goodie bag is always worth at least 10 bucks AND you might win free tires