Car Show in Wisconsin

[deanh74_2]

I just thought I would put this out there for everyone, I don't know if we as Opelers would qualify... but, I thought it was another car show to show off our love of Opels! It is the IOLA Car Show in you guessed it, Iola, WI.

4/10/2008 IOLA ’09 Theme selected
Plans are underway for the 37th Annual Iola Old Car Show, July 9-12, 2009 with our theme of ‘Independents and Imports—Alternatives to the Detroit Three.’ This will be the first Iola show since 1995 to feature domestic independent makes with an added twist if import collector vehicles joining in the feature display area. Both cars and trucks will be welcomed, up to and including 1979 models. It is not too early to consider entering a vehicle that meets the theme, is completely stock with only period accessories. Send a photo to the show office and information on your vehicle. Entries will be accepted by the Wisconsin Chapter of the Society of Automotive Historians.

Here is the address for those interested. http://www.iolaoldcarshow.com/

Dean

[manta73wi]

Great idea Dean! The Iola Car Show is an amazing place, where this small, rural Wisconsin town swells to over 100,000 people for the car show weekend. The show has grown to over 2000 show cars and over 4000 swap meet spaces. I've been going to the show yearly since my Dad took me in '81 while in high school, with the exception of '87 when was on my honeymoon! I've shown one of my Mantas there yearly for the past 4 shows. Anyone can show a car in the Post-War field provided it is made prior to 1979 (this cut-off was 1975 until this year) and doesn't have rust holes or primer. So, we Opelers do qualify! The special event for 2009 is that our Opels would fit with the theme of Independents and Imports, and thus can qualify to exhibit in a special area. A select few make it into "the tent," which offers a quality cross-section of cars symbolic of the yearly theme. While the vast majority of cars are American makes, there are usually a sampling of VW's, British roadsters, and the truly unusual such as a Lloyd, Panhard, and Vauxhall. I've attached a few pics from the past few years, including one of my Bronze '73 from this year, and my Fireglow '75 from the '06 show. By the way, the red Buick Electra and Bronze Manta are both lined up evenly at the front - just check out how much longer that Electra is! The red GT belongs to Randy from Two Rivers, and he's been at most of the shows the past few years. Other than us 2, another Opel showed up this year in the "Blue Ribbon" area of the show, which is the '73 light blue Rallye with factory air and the rare vertical Rallye gauge cluster. I would love to see a group of Opelers at this year's show!
-Jeff W

[deanh74_2]

I know I won't get the Manta done this year, probably not for a few..., but i would still love to see a bunch of Opels show up!

Question for all: Could we make this a yearly get to gether?

Dean

[Opelmel]

I managed to acquire a 73 GT this year, and I plan to bring it up to Iola. It's not of the quality for the show tent, but it's decent. And it's not stock, since I just installed the newer seat belts from OGTS.

Jeff W - I was at Iola a couple of years ago, and I have a picture of your 75 Manta (with a gold 67-69 Firebird parked behind it) as well as a picture of your friend's red GT, parked next to an old orange pickup truck. Going to Iola is what inspired me to fire up my search for an Opel to own. It took me a few years to find the right one, but once again I'm an owner!

[sawdust]

I am waiting for someone to make a motion to "Make this an Opel Event"

[Opelmel]

I am waiting for someone to make a motion to "Make this an Opel Event"

Sorry, but the last time I made a motion, I threw out my back!

[Gordy]

Only question I have Jeff is, how could you let something as trivial as a honeymoon get in the way of an event like this?? Very poor wedding planning at the least!
Chris and I would be interested in making the trip north across the "Cheese Curtain" with an Opel or 2 next summer.

[manta73wi]

Question for all: Could we make this a yearly get to gether?
Dean

I would think that if some folks wanted to give Iola a try, this year would be the one to try with the theme aimed our way. If we did make Iola a get-together, it would look & feel different than the Route 66 Fest in Springfield, which is my only personal experience for a regional/national meet (and an awesome one at that!!).

On the plus side is that the show is huge, so there is plenty to look at, see, and do. The show started as a way to get people to the Iola Lions Club Chicken Dinner fundraiser, and as such, area charities and groups do the organizing of the show, staffing the food tents, and the like, so there are quite a few on-site eating choices. The show starts on Thursday (some come Wednesday already), with most people combing the swap meet areas on Thursday and Friday. Saturday is the busiest day, and Sunday has now become primarily a show day, as more and more vendors are packing up and pulling out Saturday night or Sunday morning (although there are still plenty left). ICA Auctions has run a Saturday collector car auction the past few years, which can be entertaining. If you are looking for Opel parts, they are typically in nill to short supply, but if you want more general restoration vendors, there are all sorts of POR-15, tool, welding, paint, polish, etc. vendors. The show is not judged; no trophies or awards thing.

The registration cost is low - last year $10 for subscriber to Old Cars News or $15 for non-subscribers gets the show car on the grounds and two admissions for the whole show time. Show cars as part of the yearly theme have been free admission, as are show cars on Sunday only.

On the down side is that because so many people converge on a small town, hotel rooms are in short supply for an hour's drive radius, and often booked each year by the same people. Quite a few attendees camp onsite in campers or tents (cost is around $70 for 1-4 nights). Likewise, there aren't many restaurants as would be found in a large town like Springfield. There are plenty of food choices on the grounds, just not "group dining" experience we're used to. However, we could research options. We could make both multi-day and one-day (I would guess Saturday) options for folks.

OpelMel - glad to hear you've found a nice GT! When my in-laws lived in WI Rapids, we made Omro one of our mid-way stops (gas, food, ice cream, doggie park, etc.). I always love looking at the "Club Omreau" sign - I just think it is a cool building, but I've never been inside!

Gordy - Yeah, I know about weddding getting in the way of Iola one year... My wife had her heart set on a place for our reception, and we went with the only available date that summer. Luckily, I followed her lead on that one and 21 years later, we're still happy and she at least tolerates the Opels and my quirks.

If someone does make a motion to make this a "go," I'd be willing to help with getting the group organized. Whatdya'all think?
-Jeff W.

[sawdust]

That's about the same distance as to Springfield, IL.
Is there someone in the area of Iola that can checkout restaurants and hotels.

[deanh74_2]

I would make a motion to make this an event... but I wouldn't have the Opel to bring. I just got mine and it is far from ready.

Dean

[Opelmel]

That's about the same distance as to Springfield, IL.
Is there someone in the area of Iola that can checkout restaurants and hotels.

Hotels in Iola??
Ahem.....sorry about that.....Iola has a population of about 1200, and there are no hotels in that town. The closest city of any size is probably Stevens Point, about 20-25 miles west of Iola. Here's a link to the Iola car show web page that lists hotels and motels. I've stayed in a few of them, so let me know if you need information about a hotel or the town that it's in.

Iola Old Car Show - www.iolaoldcarshow.com

If you like car shows, this really is one that you shouldn't miss.

[sawdust]

The closest city of any size is probably Stevens Point, about 20-25 miles west of Iola.

Ramada Inn in Stevens Point sounds good for starters. Any info on this one?

They usually have restaurants and meeting rooms.

[Opelmel]

I haven't stayed there, but their most recent reviews aren't that flattering.
Stevens Point Hotels: Read Stevens Point Hotel Reviews and Compare Prices - TripAdvisor

I've been to the Holiday Inn Convention Center, which was fine. Also was at the Elizabeth Inn in Plover a few years ago. It was nice, and is about the same distance from Iola.

Welcome to The Elizabeth Inn and Convention Center

Plenty of restaurants in the Stevens Point area, along with the Point Brewery.

[sawdust]

Stevens Point Hotels: Read Stevens Point Hotel Reviews and Compare Prices - TripAdvisor

Welcome to The Elizabeth Inn and Convention Center

Plenty of restaurants in the Stevens Point area, along with the Point Brewery.

I was able to make a reservation at the Comfort Suites Steven Point for Fri. & Sat. nite. I emailed a request to Joan at "Iola Old Car Show" <information@iolaoldcarshow.com for a 2009 registration form and got this immediate email reply from Joan:

It is too early for our registration forms, but e-mail me your address and I will add you to our mailing list that goes out in mid-January. Then if you need more forms for your club just e-mail and I can send a bunch to you in mid-January, or if you want to send us a listing of members I can add them to our mailing list also. It would be great to have a group of Opel owners. I don’t know if you are aware that our theme this year is Independents & Imports so these would all be free of charge and two people would be admitted free of charge per vehicle. If we have some idea how many would be coming we would try to hold an area for you. Otherwise they just park the cars as they arrive. Also if you have some Opel owners that feel that their vehicle would qualify for under the theme tent we would need to receive a picture with a self address stamped envelope if they want their pictures back. We group the Independents & Imports in a special area. Hope to see you in July. Joan

If anyone wants to receive a registration form please email your address to Joan.
Registration is FREE. Lodging is expensive and scarce. I hope that we can make this an event.

[Opelmel]

Email sent today to get on the Iola mailing list. Hopefully we can get a group area.

[deanh74_2]

If it works out, I might be able to convince the wife to let someone use the guest room... MAYBE! If I can, I will offer it.

I live in East Troy, WI. It is about 3 hours south of Iola.

Dean

[Aardvaark]

This event sounds interesting. I might try to make it too. Too early to say for sure though.

[sawdust]

Just received this email from the Iola registrar:

Dear Hans,
I am the one that registers the show cars for our event and works with the Wisconsin Chapter Society of Automotive Historians(WSAH) and Mitch Swenson, IOCS Public Relations – they are the volunteer group that participates with organizing the exhibit. Thank you for emailing us your wanting to be involved in our 2009 theme; Independents and Imports at the Iola Old Car Show & Swap Meet.

Recently members of the WSAH and Iola Old Car Show Staff met to consider poster cars for the 2009 poster. After many reviews the vehicles that have been selected is a 1953 Kaiser Dragon 4 door sedan (white with green top) owned by Lance and Lowell Johnson, Combined Locks, WI; the second is a 1954 red Jaguar XK120 owned by Ron and Carol Green of Lecanto , FL.

The WSAH selects nearly fifty autos for under the tent and the other theme cars will go on display in the surrounding grass or black top area. The vehicles selected for under the tent are on the basis of historic significance with very little duplication. The WSAH will be meeting in March – April of 2009 to review vehicle applicants and plan the layout of the display.

We are looking forward to working with this exhibit for Iola ’09 and would like to consider you a part of the theme exhibit. We send out our registration material in January and confirmation mailings are sent out in May. There would be no fee for you.

Your initial email was about an Opel Club attending – if you find out more about your group and wanting to display together as Joan mentioned we would like to register them for entrance into the event and we could have an area for them. It would be nice for us to know approximately how many will attend and plan accordingly.

Again, thank you for your participation and involvement with our event and if you have any further questions or concerns don’t hesitate to contact me.

Have a happy holiday season.

Sincerely,
Mary Schwartz

Mary Schwartz
Administrative Assistant Iola Old Car Show, Inc
www.iolaoldcarshow.com
Iola Vintage Military & Gun Show
with Vintage Tractors & Equipment
www.iolavms.com
715-445-4005

July is a few months down the road. If anyone has interest in attending this show, and you need lodging, I suggest you start searching the motels in the area around Iola now.

[Opelmel]

So who's going, and when?
Anybody camping?
I plan to be there Thursday through Saturday, and we're still trying to decide where to stay. No sense rushing into these things!

[sawdust]

So who's going, and when?
Anybody camping?

I am planning on being there Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
I did not know about the camping until after I made motel arrangements in Stevens Pointe.