Rose Bowl?? Seriously!

Dear Jon S.,

Bravo!

Your accomplishments with this meet are beyond outstanding; they are World renown and published in every BMW magazine world-wide. The time, effort, and stress from you and those involved are all extremely appreciated. You bring Bimmer aficionados from across the State and the Nation to a common ground to join in with each other. It does not matter where it is located, except that the location be large enough to accommodate the impressive mass of fans who travel to attend.

We are very fortunate to have another such event.

THANK YOU for organizing Bimmerfest.

Originally Posted by Tunaoue

Dear Jon S.,

Bravo!

Your accomplishments with this meet are beyond outstanding; they are World renown and published in every BMW magazine world-wide. The time, effort, and stress from you and those involved are all extremely appreciated. You bring Bimmer aficionados from across the State and the Nation to a common ground to join in with each other. It does not matter where it is located, except that the location be large enough to accommodate the impressive mass of fans who travel to attend.

We are very fortunate to have another such event.

THANK YOU for organizing Bimmerfest.

+1..........

Believe me, I'm as sad as Jon and many others that Bimmerfest had to be moved from the Polo Ground's and has outgrown anything in or around SB. I'm sure the Rose Bowl setting will blow people away. I hope I can make it this year to witness what "the boys" put together for us this year. The whiners have no idea what it takes to put together such a feat. I know what I've put into this for the past, what 10 years. Putting together the caravan, dinner, hotel arrangements etc...., so I can appreciate the hard work Jon, Tim, Mark and others do to put this on, everyone should be thankful they just haven't thrown their hands up in the air and said f*** it, but they step up and make it happen where they can.

My hats off to you Brothers!

Originally Posted by Keith

+1..........

Believe me, I'm as sad as Jon and many others that Bimmerfest had to be moved from the Polo Ground's and has outgrown anything in or around SB. I'm sure the Rose Bowl setting will blow people away. I hope I can make it this year to witness what "the boys" put together for us this year. The whiners have no idea what it takes to put together such a feat. I know what I've put into this for the past, what 10 years. Putting together the caravan, dinner, hotel arrangements etc...., so I can appreciate the hard work Jon, Tim, Mark and others do to put this on, everyone should be thankful they just haven't thrown their hands up in the air and said f*** it, but they step up and make it happen where they can.

My hats off to you Brothers!

+2 Keith....

You Bay Area guys are still welcome to base your party in SB, it is only a 90 minute caravan to the Rose Bowl, and those of us in the SB area finally get to experience a BMW caravan. In the past, we were "forced" to have to live almost next door the the event. Pasadena is a great town, the Marriott is a great hotel, right in the middle of old town, but I will miss all the great cars cruising state street in SB. Jon and crew deserve kudos for all the efforts to make this happen. It is an almost impossible job to pull this off every year, with every other attendee being an "expert" on how they should do it.

Thanks Jon, and thanks Keith for your continued support.

Nice work, Jon! If people knew how much work it takes to put on even a small event, they would probably stop all of the bitching. I grew up in Pasadena and it is really a nice place. Sometimes hot, but for the most part it's really nice. Plenty of hotels and easy to get to. I will be there with the rest of the So Cal gang, and hopefully quite a few more since it is so close this year. Thanks again for going the extra mile, Jon and making it happen.

Something of this magnatude can't just be thrown together at some shopping center's parking lot.

So, for all of the naysayers, form your opinion AFTER the event, and if you don't like it then put your bitch hat on.....or just don't show up as I know you probably won't be missed anyway!

Meh... all we hear is negative blah blah blahs... PNW group and I (Vancouver, Seattle & Portland), were also bummed about the event being moved from SB but I dont think we care much where the Venue is being located. The majority of the fun is being out on the road, the Fest and hanging out with fellow bimmerheads anyway.

Pasadena, Vegas, LA etc etc... Jon, point where the future fest is, we'll be there!


Ali

Aloha Jon and Bimmerfest staff! Let me start by saying how happy i am to know that Bimmerfest is still going to happen this year! I was a little bummed when i heard that Bimmerfest was being held somewhere other than beautiful Santa Barbara. I love the drive and the charm that SB has to offer. The bottom line for me is that Bimmerfest is still going to happen. I now reside in Orange County and want to let you know that no matter where you decide to have Bimmerfest at...I will be there!

I hope eveyone realizes how hard it is to plan something this big every year and there will always be haters or people who only focus on da negative...cops,bs tickets,weather,distance etc. Bimmerfest will be a huge success Jon and i hope you know that you and da Bimmerfest staffs hard work is very much appreciated. Looking forward to seeing you in beautiful Pasadena.

aloha,
thaichi808

I promise that everyone will be (as us surfers say) stoked by the end of the day on May 22nd.

I am working on the formal/official announcement, and will post it some time this evening...

Originally Posted by Steve in SB

+2 Keith....

You Bay Area guys are still welcome to base your party in SB, it is only a 90 minute caravan to the Rose Bowl, and those of us in the SB area finally get to experience a BMW caravan. In the past, we were "forced" to have to live almost next door the the event. Pasadena is a great town, the Marriott is a great hotel, right in the middle of old town, but I will miss all the great cars cruising state street in SB. Jon and crew deserve kudos for all the efforts to make this happen. It is an almost impossible job to pull this off every year, with every other attendee being an "expert" on how they should do it.

Thanks Jon, and thanks Keith for your continued support.

Thanks Steve. You know that I have been jonesing to do the caravan since the very first bimmerfest. Too bad I'll probably be going down on Thursday, though...

so i take it that the San Diego Polo grounds are not going to be even considered... ok

Originally Posted by Jon S.

Well, I am not going to throw dirt around. However, after we were told we had a date for 2010 by the Polo Club, they later renigged -- at least for a May date. They suggested that field damage from Bimmerfest 2009 was the proximate cause for a polo pony's injuries during the match that followed the event. Based on that, they wanted to bump us back until Fall (after Polo season), move us to the other smaller and less desirable field, and charge us more.

None of those conditions made sense, so we had to go back to the drawing board. We looked at every option including some paired with race tracks, and we decided that the best Bimmerfest experience for our attendees could be delivered at the historic Rose Bowl.



That's really sad. Like the people who missed last year's amazing event, those spreading all of the negativity in some forums will be missing out on what I believe will be the best Bimmerfest yet. It really disappointments me how people can just be so negative. There is already enough of that around these days. All the more reason to come to The 'Fest.

Understood! We should be thankfull you guys are still going to have the event this year! You host it, we will come! Just hope its not too hot! Maybe concider the Ventura Fair grounds for 2011.....?

Originally Posted by zuckuss00

Understood! We should be thankfull you guys are still going to have the event this year! You host it, we will come! Just hope its not too hot! Maybe concider the Ventura Fair grounds for 2011.....?

+1

I could walk since my BMW is stuck in the garage!!

Originally Posted by t3amfish

so i take it that the San Diego Polo grounds are not going to be even considered... ok

Only Jon can tell you if they contacted the SD Polo grounds. Based on my first hand knowledge of the issues with trying to put on dog shows there, I would be shocked if they would consider a car show, and if they would the liability for damage to the grounds they would insist Jon assume would make it a no go.

I am a former member of the Santa Barbara Kennel Club and belong to Dog Clubs in the LA area. I can tell you trying to find venues for events is getting more and more difficult, almost impossible. Polo fields are gorgeous, nice level smooth grass. The socio-economic group that plays polo doesn't want the crowds or the cars with the possibility of damaging the field. And the local residents will complain about the traffic and block issuing a permit for the next time -- if you get one the first time. While the owner/operater of the field may love the idea of the extra income, his bread and butter patrons will inevitably make it "one and done" if at all.

The weather at the Rose Bowl in late May should be fine, but yes it could be hot, it does happen.

I too loved the drive up the coast from LA to SB in my MRoadster ---

Jon, you have a tough job, looks like you are doing everything possible, anyone who fails to have a good time with all those cars, vendors and people, can only blame themselves.

Hang in there buddy.

I live 5 min from the rose bowl lol...

Originally Posted by zuckuss00

Understood! We should be thankfull you guys are still going to have the event this year! You host it, we will come! Just hope its not too hot! Maybe concider the Ventura Fair grounds for 2011.....?

Ventura fairgrounds would be nice. I remember meeting up with Jon there during a benz/quasi-exotic show. Lots of room there for sure as well as lots of hotel space. The ocean is nearby as well.

If the show is going to be in the ROse Bowl then I'll try and get in touch with Dakine (jesse) and perhaps some of us can have a Scarantino's meet before or after. Hell, maybe they even do catering now.

Scarantion's=best family italian grub this side of Italy.

Originally Posted by Jever

Ventura fairgrounds would be nice. I remember meeting up with Jon there during a benz/quasi-exotic show. Lots of room there for sure as well as lots of hotel space. The ocean is nearby as well.

If the show is going to be in the ROse Bowl then I'll try and get in touch with Dakine (jesse) and perhaps some of us can have a Scarantino's meet before or after. Hell, maybe they even do catering now.

Scarantion's=best family italian grub this side of Italy.

Teh Jev? Aloha bruddah! Long time no see... I vote for a pre Bimmerfest dinner at Scarantinos Italian as well. I haven't seen you or da old timers in a couple years. Contact Jesse(Dakine) and lets try to set this up.

aloha,
thaichi808

Originally Posted by Jever

...perhaps some of us can have a Scarantino's meet before or after. Hell, maybe they even do catering now.

Scarantion's=best family italian grub this side of Italy.

Word.


I'm down with that plan...

I haven't talked to Jessie for a few years. I always wanted to join the gang for dinner there. Now maybe I can.

The Polo grounds were nice, but the only thing I'll miss is the Top down run up the coast to get there. Rose bowl is a great venue, for those that have never been. I agree this might very well be the best one yet.
See you all there!

its gonna be my first time .......... i be there no matter wat!!! gonna call in sick or take a day off either way!!!

Originally Posted by E39 GaGaN

its gonna be my first time .......... i be there no matter wat!!! gonna call in sick or take a day off either way!!!

That's the spirit!!

Originally Posted by Jon S.

I promise that everyone will be (as us surfers say) stoked by the end of the day on May 22nd.

I am working on the formal/official announcement, and will post it some time this evening...

Hey Jon,

While I always loved driving up the coast with my two sons, having it in Pasadena means that it's close enough to home so that I can bring two of my Bimmers for the "Battle of the Bimmers." See you at the Bowl.

Originally Posted by ///M Blitz

Hey Jon,

While I always loved driving up the coast with my two sons, having it in Pasadena means that it's close enough to home so that I can bring two of my Bimmers for the "Battle of the Bimmers." See you at the Bowl.

Yeah now I'm gana have to help drive 3 other cars of my friends to bimmerfest now that it's this close also lol.

Originally Posted by t3amfish

Jon S.

thank you for an awesome Bimmerfest last year. it was my first time, and now i think im spoiled. I'm originally from SoCal but live in UT(only been here 5 years)...

this may be to late to ask but... have you tried the San Diego polo club??? its right off the 5fwy in between Solana Beach and Del Mar beach... it rivals SB polo club for distance to the beach, hotels and same atmosphere. This club is much bigger than the SB club. I have played many soccer tournaments there (surf cup) and if i remember right, they have about 3-4 BIG fields.

here is a link to where it is
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&so...ed=0CAgQnwIwAA

here is the contact info:
San Diego Polo Club
14555 El Camino Real
Del Mar, CA 92014
(858) 481-9217
- sandiegopolo.com

i would at least call them so see if its an option... this is a nice part of San Diego County, easily accessible from the freeway.

I agree with this location if it is possible. I like the caravan to SB every year even if my car does rev at 4k rpm to keep up with everyone from SD crews caravan. I even drive up to OC and drive back in a caravan for Socaleuro's meet in SD. Bimmerfest is my main pilgrimage for my car since I hardly take it on long road trips it stays in SD as my weekend/special occasions car.

Thank you Jon for not giving up and giving another shot so that we could at least have one this year.

I enjoyed last years trip to the polo club and have asked many of my friends with BMWs to join the caravan to SB but that isnt happening this year. I will miss PCH in my E9 and the good memories of the trip. And now I doubt my friend will drive all the way down here from San Jose.

BTW FOR those who are worried about front plate my friend showed me a trick from SOCALEURO's caravan. Buy some strong magnets depending on how storng they are 2 to 4. And what he does for his is make sure the plate has some protection against your paint but he pretty much slaps it on and takes it off for car shows. I will be doing that for mine. Or if I take the e30 and will help my friends do it doesnt take more then 5 mins.

Pasadena is not that bad. The drive to Santa Barbara is really great and it makes 50% of the fun, but as long as people will come and show off their cars... I'm happy.

Besides, cars belong to the asphalt! Not grass!

Can we not have it until June??? My last day of school happens to be june 3rd. I wanted to see the polo field along with the beach to but oh well life goes on. What is it like North of L.A.?

I will be bimmerless this year, but I'm still making my way through.