Bimmerfest 2008 - Where?

Personally, I like the fact that it's held in Santa Barbara (mostly because I live there).

I don't know if this would work, but can you rent out a parking garage? The new garage at UCSB is freakin' HUGE, not to mention that you have an uncovered lot right next to it. Personally, I think that there would be more then enough room there and people wouldn't get sun burned ONly problem is the lighting for pictures

Ok, I live in Vegas, and attended bfest this year as well as last year. I think Vegas is a bad idea. First of all, it gives me an excuse to go on a small vacation. Second, the traffic. Leaving from Vegas to Cali on Friday is great! Traffic is minimal. But if you look at the other side of the road and see the Cali people that are trying to get to Vegas on Friday then you'll know what I'm talking about. Grid lock in some areas, and pretty slow moving.

Third, the traffic. Again. For me leaving from Cali to Vegas is great again. But now you have people leaving from Vegas to Cali on a Sunday. Again, traffic. Some areas gridlocked.

Fourth, the weather. To have it in May would just be too hot for most. April is fine or maybe late March. Party atmosphere would be great (of course) as there are plenty to do.

All in all I just don't think it's a good idea. Plus alot of people that go to bimmerfest live in Cali. Its not a bad drive for them, but I"m willing to bet that a 2 to 3 hour drive is a little too much for some of the people in Cali. And a 4 to 6 hour drive to Vegas would just not be feasible for most.

Santa Barbara is beautiful, but it needs to move somewhere bigger. Nuff said. It's growing, parking gets out of hand by 10 am. I just hate that I had to park my car (again) waaaaaaay in the back. I pretty much had to park next to RV's and trailers. For an enthusiast, you'd like to get some people to look at your car, and having cars park way out there or in the dirt lot, just sux.....especially for someone that drives all the way out from Vegas.

And for the people think it's perfect and should not change.....you're wrong. THere's always room for improvement. People want something new every year. A little diversity goes a long ways.

Anyways, if you guys do decide to hold it in Vegas, the Speedway would probably be the best spot. The parking lot is huge! You've got the track if you hold some auto x or DE's. There's a drag strip for the punks that wanna try to flex their muscles. And an official drive at the Valley of Fire would be great like someone suggested. I've driven it plenty of times and I love every minute of it! Great scenery, and just great driving.

Vegas would be a great spot for it, but like I said.....most of the BMW crowd is in Cali.....I just don't think it's going to work.

Why don't we put this on the Bimmerfest 2008 forum? And get more ideas and feedback. It's funny that LV resident Ultima Chi agrees with me on most of this stuff - hot weather, packed and possibly dangerous I-15. He lives there and I've never even been!

Originally Posted by beewang

Your first bimmerfest got you "hooked" Mal

I really think that ragtop M6 and bimmerfest has really changed Mal!! Good meeting you and bear btw!

Wherever it may go, if it leaves SB at all, it needs to be someplace that is used to HOSTING large crowds (aka concessions, facilities, power, internet or phone access, crowd and traffic control), not just room for them... that excludes a bunch of places outside of major fairgrounds and racetracks such as LVMS or Fontana.

Screw it lets all go to Mexico, give our 18-20 year olds a chance to have fun! Kidding. Anyways, any ideas on Norcal locations? any stadiums we could hold it at? I know the next socal euro meet is at the Chargers stadium.

Vegas would be sick...get your best friend and leave the wives/girlfriends at home, j/k. the hotter the less clo...I mean better. How about Qualcomm stadium? lots of parking and they have auto-x there all the time. near 2 malls(5 miles away) for shopping, one of them being the best in San Diego. McDonald's and Costco take-out window(no membership required) one block away...and its only two blocks away from my house, but I will drive to the last stop/meeting point to drive with everyone cause that's the best part. I'll go to NorCal to since I'm from there.

Originally Posted by roadwarrior687

I really think that ragtop M6 and bimmerfest has really changed Mal!! Good meeting you and bear btw!

Thanks. Bear changed me. When I first met that pimply-faced 15 year old kid who was using mommy and daddy's computer, I was a changed man. After that I started seeing visions of The Bear everywhere - on candy bar wrappers thrown on the ground, clouds, stains on the sides of freeways, old pieces of bread.

FYI the east coas has its own Bimmerfest called Bimmerfest East so I dont think we should worry about that. My opinion is if we make it more than once a year, not as many people would show and it would dilute the fun of being there and seeing the people you only get to see once a year from other states. Perhaps we could rotate the venue? Staples would be cool, but The Rose Bowl (which is literally 5 minutes from my house) doesnt have any fences to regulate who gets in and out.

Mariano

I would rather not see it leave Santa Barbara. If it had to, my 2nd choice would also be the Ventura County Fair Ground. It has so many covered venues and the parking lot it huge. There are also plenty of hotels around and the weather is usually decent.

Originally Posted by CaliJeff

I'm going to chime in here. This was not my first bimmerfest. Jon has done an exemplary job of organizing this event ever since its inception. I think that there were about 20 cars at that one, we all knew each other through the message board at Roadfly. Dogs and brats were on the barbque and all went well. From those humble beginings the event has become THE premier event on the west coast, and everyone east of the Mississippi is green with envy. Cowboy up east coasters, I happily drive/fly from Cali to South Carolina for Homecoming.

Santa Barbara is a great place to hold this event. The weather is great, nightlife before and after the event is epic, and the local law enforcement are extremely tolerant. (The CHP are state and have their very own revenue generation criteria so they are going to do whatever they do wherever the event is held in Cali.) All in all a people loving place with a small town atmosphere. You are NOT going to find that in most of the locales already mentioned. The Rose Bowl MIGHT be an exception. (Old Pasadena and State Street have a similar vibe.) The airport might not be a bad idea with porta johns, a rented PA, and three In-n-Out trailers and/or other catering type places that would contract out.

Vegas sucks and may provide the first fatality statistic in bimmerfest history. I15 from the south were the caravans can all reach top speed to the event at the right time of day with emergency services being far out of life saving is a recipe for the inevitable. I've been on a couple of caravans from L.A. and can tell you that the trip to the event quickly becomes a contest. I doubt 300 miles on a straight road in the middle of nowhere is going to change things for the better. This is just coming from the L.A /Orange County/San Diego areas. I would imagine that those coming from other directions wouldn't fare much better.

There is a whole year for Jon to take input and once again make this thing a great experience should he choose to take it on once again. I can't sing enough praise for Jon and crew here. I just can't. So if we, collectively, take a bit of time over the next 6 months with the thinking that the event stays in Santa Barbara and offer positive suggestions to make the next one even better.

Thank you one and all that made this happen once again.

CaliJeff



P.S.

The concessions at Earl Warren are out of Jons' control. They SUCK and that's just the way it is.

Wow, thats the longest post that has made any sense that I've seen you post.

j/k, Well said

How about Qualcomm Stadium San Diego?

Originally Posted by CleanAzzE30z

FYI the east coas has its own Bimmerfest called Bimmerfest East so I dont think we should worry about that. My opinion is if we make it more than once a year, not as many people would show and it would dilute the fun of being there and seeing the people you only get to see once a year from other states. Perhaps we could rotate the venue? Staples would be cool, but The Rose Bowl (which is literally 5 minutes from my house) doesnt have any fences to regulate who gets in and out.

Mariano

Agreed

Btw, I LOVE your M3...I spent about twenty minutes drooling over it

Originally Posted by DrDub

Anyways, any ideas on Norcal locations?

I personally would be devastated if it was any farther South than Santa Barbara, I love the city, the weather and the tolerance of the local law enforcement.

BUT that being said and you asked, Cal Expo in Sacramento, where the State Fair is held, would be PERFECT for such an occasion.
IF you've never been there, then no one should say anything, I have on numerous occasion's, from the State Fair, to concerts, to car show's and with all the indoor building's to ALL the parking, it could hold 5 times what Earl Warren holds.

BUT please leave it right where it's at, I love it as it is.
YES we know the food venue sucks, I knew it last year and prepared myself for it this year and will again next year, the rest of you should do the same, that's why they make ice chest's.

Shame on Earl Warren for using whoever they use as their food vendor and not allowing Jon to find another solution, must be a relative!

See ya'll next year!

I love the fact that it is in SB, and not just because I live in SB. Bfest has grown so much over the past few years it is crazy but I think it should stay in SB, it is one of the greatest cities in the US and you can't beat it, I don't think I'd go to a Bfest that wasn't in SB, it just wouldn't be the same.

Santa Barbara is a beautiful city, but it sounds like Earl Warren Fairgrounds might be getting too small for what Bimmerfest is developing into. Is there another facility in SB that would work better?

While there have been many good suggestions, we should note that Jon hasn't piped up and said anything in this thread yet. He may not have any intentions of moving the event to another location withing SB or any other city.

If a move were to be considered, I think a location like Laguna Seca raceway, just a short distance up the coast, near Monterrey could be a great place. I'm not sure if the roads into the area would provide any better access, but since races are supposed to draw large crowds I would hope there is good access. Monterrey is a nice city with quite a bit to do, however, I'm not sure if it can offer the same lodging or nightlife that SB offers. Can anyone that is familiar with both cities offer any input?

2007 was my third Bimmerfest and I think it should stay in Santa Barbara. I don't have a long drive (I'm in L.A.), but I think the drive up there is nice.

And the adjacent areas around there are gorgeous as well. I don't think it'll have the same vibe if it's in a larger city.

And I'm in Vegas 2-3 times a year, but I think people will focus on the ahem...bad things in Vegas instead of focusing on the event.

Just my opinion.

I vote for doing whatever possible to keep it in SB. Its a great getaway thats not too far and the scenery is just gorgeous. Perfect place to have a mini vacation. Plus LA will be absolutely packed with traffic and pigs wherever we go. And thanks for the comments BMWE30freak.. Ive been coming to every single bfest and have been somehow not able to bring the ///M3 so I FINALLY go to introduce it and right when I got everything done (Interior, ALpha N, CF airbox, wheels, etc.)

Mariano

SB is perfect for bfest, i hope it never leaves. Not to mention in june im moving right up the street from the fairgrounds.

Originally Posted by m34ever

SB is perfect for bfest, i hope it never leaves. Not to mention in june im moving right up the street from the fairgrounds.

Well, that settles it, then. Overflow parking is at your house. And we'll all use your toilet(s), right? Wrong.

SB is the perfect place in terms of location, weather, atmosphere, restaurants. But, as I wrote at the very start of this thread, Jon is the victim of his own success. The event has outgrown Santa Barbara. Jon didn't mean for it to get too big, but it has. He doesn't have enough room at the Earl Warren Showgrounds -- unless we start to arrive on horseback.

All of that being the case, where should we have it?

(A dark parking lot nearby is not the answer, BTW.)

I say leave it where it is. It's nice to visit SB and moving to a low-rent race track in Las Vegas or LA just wouldnt be the same. Even Cal Expo has become pretty much "ghetto" over the past few years. I live here and I wont go there anymore for fear of being shot or ripped off. Santa Barbara is a great get-away for us Valley guys.. my 2c worth.

Originally Posted by Bmwcat

I say leave it where it is. It's nice to visit SB and moving to a low-rent race track in Las Vegas or LA just wouldnt be the same. Even Cal Expo has become pretty much "ghetto" over the past few years. I live here and I wont go there anymore for fear of being shot or ripped off. Santa Barbara is a great get-away for us Valley guys.. my 2c worth.

Originally Posted by Bmwcat

I say leave it where it is. It's nice to visit SB and moving to a low-rent race track in Las Vegas or LA just wouldnt be the same. Even Cal Expo has become pretty much "ghetto" over the past few years. I live here and I wont go there anymore for fear of being shot or ripped off. Santa Barbara is a great get-away for us Valley guys.. my 2c worth.

I'll agree with this. We don't even go to the State Fair anymore. Too many gangbanger wanna bees and knuckle heads trying to prove how tough they think they are come out after dark. I'd much rather go to the coast than the central valley.

Originally Posted by wag-zhp

Santa Barbara is a beautiful city, but it sounds like Earl Warren Fairgrounds might be getting too small for what Bimmerfest is developing into. Is there another facility in SB that would work better?

While there have been many good suggestions, we should note that Jon hasn't piped up and said anything in this thread yet. He may not have any intentions of moving the event to another location withing SB or any other city.

If a move were to be considered, I think a location like Laguna Seca raceway, just a short distance up the coast, near Monterrey could be a great place. I'm not sure if the roads into the area would provide any better access, but since races are supposed to draw large crowds I would hope there is good access. Monterrey is a nice city with quite a bit to do, however, I'm not sure if it can offer the same lodging or nightlife that SB offers. Can anyone that is familiar with both cities offer any input?

That would be a real awesome place. Laguna Seca raceway. Thats probably the best of the ideas if heard so far imo.

how about willow springs ?

i say we keep it in SB the drive is really fun, and it only uses a 1/4 tank (my parents won't let me drive any further either )