Doug Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 Years ago we use to go to Milwaukee and you could normally find some deals. Haven't gone now for 4-5 years. Last time I went between parking and paying to get in I had like $30.00 invested for me and my wife and hadn't bought a thing snowmobile related. Show kept on getting smaller with venders pulling out because of the cost they were being charged. Talked to some guys that went and they said they are done. No real deals and when they saw the display with a guy selling windows for homes they had enough. I know Kens Sports use to have a big display and sold a lot of accessories and tracks but pulled out 6 years ago and has their own instore snow show a week long. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mag6240 Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 Been MANY years since I've done shows, heck, I'm not even a HayDays guy - only been to one of those in the last 15. The interwebs have sure changed the way things are done. Good or bad. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bontz Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 1 minute ago, Mag6240 said: Been MANY years since I've done shows, heck, I'm not even a HayDays guy - only been to one of those in the last 15. The interwebs have sure changed the way things are done. Good or bad. Same here ... although I will admit, I've been to Hay Days more than just one of the past 15 years. But the same applies there, with the internet deals being just as good, or better, and not worth the price of admission and parking for the in-person shows. The deals just ain't there any longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted October 24, 2022 Author Share Posted October 24, 2022 The only thing I miss is trying on clothing or a helmet. My wife and I both wear a tekvest. Last year we went to Ken's Sports snow show with her tekvest for her to put on before buying her a new jacket. Helmets I just like to try them on before I buy one. They seem to very in size a lot. What is large for one brand and fits good is not the same in a large for another brand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold Member 800renegaderider Posted October 24, 2022 Gold Member Share Posted October 24, 2022 1 hour ago, Doug said: The only thing I miss is trying on clothing or a helmet. My wife and I both wear a tekvest. Last year we went to Ken's Sports snow show with her tekvest for her to put on before buying her a new jacket. Helmets I just like to try them on before I buy one. They seem to very in size a lot. What is large for one brand and fits good is not the same in a large for another brand. That’s basically the main reason I go to the grass drags out here every October to try on stuff and see it in person. The racings fun to watch too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racinfarmer Posted October 24, 2022 Share Posted October 24, 2022 There used to be a big one in MN that was at the convention center. Last year we went was the year Blair switch to Doo. Not sure how long it lasted pasted that. Used to be about 1/2 sleds, 1/2 skiing/boarding. Saw Redline, Blade, new Scorpion, and a bunch of the mountain specialty sleds there over the years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soeaster Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 Used to work for a dealership and we would go to many of them. Started with Haydays (godforsaken hot in that tent when you're hungover), then Grayslake, Milwaukee, and Novi, MI. Can't remember the actual order of them. Did the MN Convention Center a couple of times too. Had a blast working them and met a lot of great people. Even closed some deals by throwing a beer in. Only show I've gone to since has been Haydays and that's even been awhile. Used to be a lot of deals, non-current clothing, studs, helmets, those were our big sellers. Internet has definitely changed things. Got to meet some of the old (now) snocrossers like Morgan, Vincent, Eckstom, Malinoski, Martin. It was a lot of fun back in the day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerdave Posted October 25, 2022 Share Posted October 25, 2022 (edited) I went to Milwaukee every year since the late 80's or whenever it started ?, till covid stopped it. Didn't go because of family matter last year. After i seen this years layout online, and also down to 2 days vs 3 I said f it. It was best in the old dual buildings. Never did Haydays. Grayslake was great at it's height. Grass dragged, won some trophies, great swap meet. I really miss that one. Edited October 25, 2022 by racerdave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not greg b Posted October 29, 2022 Share Posted October 29, 2022 Trade shows are dead for anything now. It’s all the same vendors that sell online. You can buy the same stuff from them on their website. It is usually cheaper because they are not paying the show expenses. My dealer quit doing haydays 10 years ago and changed to an open house now in the fall with free food and bounce house for the kids. They make way more money than haydays as they don’t have to pay the fees and haul everything up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger** Posted October 29, 2022 Share Posted October 29, 2022 2009 I called the Triton trailer distributor for Wisconsin, Triton Trailers, LLC out of Hartford Wi they told me the trailer I was looking at would be $300 more for the Milwaukee show so I prepaid for the trailer and met them at the show and went home with a new trailer. It was the cost of having a booth that drove the price up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not greg b Posted October 30, 2022 Share Posted October 30, 2022 19 hours ago, Badger** said: 2009 I called the Triton trailer distributor for Wisconsin, Triton Trailers, LLC out of Hartford Wi they told me the trailer I was looking at would be $300 more for the Milwaukee show so I prepaid for the trailer and met them at the show and went home with a new trailer. It was the cost of having a booth that drove the price up. It use to cost my old work about 30k to have booth for the turf show at the Minneapolis convention center and that was about 10 years ago. They quit going a few years ago because of the cost. The show is about a 1/3 the size that it use be, I have been told. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ez ryder Posted November 15, 2022 Share Posted November 15, 2022 On 10/24/2022 at 5:17 PM, racinfarmer said: There used to be a big one in MN that was at the convention center. Last year we went was the year Blair switch to Doo. Not sure how long it lasted pasted that. Used to be about 1/2 sleds, 1/2 skiing/boarding. Saw Redline, Blade, new Scorpion, and a bunch of the mountain specialty sleds there over the years. When that one started it filled all 3 domes with just sled stuff think the last yrs itcwas sleds boats fishing camping rv sham wow type shit . Just got sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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