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Carlisle 2026 - what do you think?

BSB67

BSB67

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This was my first Carlisle Event. I was personally torn between hanging at the awesome FBBO tent verses exploring the event. I was also surprised at what little was going on outside the show. Nothing in our hotel parking lot. We drove to a couple others. Same. Maybe I didn’t know where to look.

I guess maybe the days of Brice Ave. in Columbus are gone.

With that, has anyone attempted to rally interest in maybe a FBBO member hotel? Just for hanging out in lawn chairs BS-ing after dinner in the cooler evening. Even if you don’t want to book a room there, you could still go to and hang-out.

Has this been attempted? Are there challenges I’m missing? Let me know what you think, and if you’d be interested. When do folks start securing hotel accommodations?

Thanks
 
my hotel sucked...... hanging out with the Mopar peeps would have worked for me, there's never enough time
 
This year I didn’t hang in the parking lot, but the younger guys did. Most, if not all of the west coast FBBO delegation was here as well.

Holiday Inn Express, 2055 Technology Parkway, Mechanicsburg.

Make your reservation next month.

IMG_6972.jpeg
 
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I remember back in 93ish and 94ish there was alot of cruising around the rt11 area and into town. Even back in 99ish was some ok hanging. 93ish was that holiday inn with a mini golf course in front of it. But over time I've been told the police and city got more and more strict on cruising. That being said, it's never been as good as brice in 80's, 90's, or early 2000's.
 
I think it would be a good idea to try and arrange an evening get-together. I've been going to Carlisle since the '90s and as far as I know there's never really been a big cruise scene. It might be too spread out for that. Make it a spontaneous pop-up style thing thing and maybe post the info here in the late afternoon so members can check in and find out where to go. Change it up each night so you don't wear out your welcome.

Not sure where you stayed but usually you'll see groups of cars/people hanging out at the hotels along Rt. 11 in the evening. I used to stay at the Holiday Inn Express right past the Tpke. and there was always activity there at night. I stopped staying there though and moved to a newer Holiday Inn off Commerce Ave. which is 5 min. SW of the fairgrounds off 81.There's a few small groups hanging out there but it's pretty low key.

I always manage to get out and see as much of the show as I can, there's no way I'd be able to stay in one place all day. I don't even like to sit there in my tent waiting for people to buy my stuff so I leave my number on a sign and go walk around. Works for me.
 
We're all old farts now. After walking around in the hot sun all day, we're all burnt out. Shower at the hotel, dinner and crash early so we can get going early to beat the traffic jam getting into the fairgrounds the next day.
 
They were advertising an official cruise through town - I think it was Saturday night?

I was at my vendor spots so I don't know how it was.
 
HawkRod said:
They were advertising an official cruise through town - I think it was Saturday night?

I was at my vendor spots so I don't know how it was.
Click to expand...

Casey and I watched the cruise. Not many cars, and probably only 30% of those were classic muscle cars. I wouldn’t give up on it as it was the first time event. Where to park for spectating was unclear as Pitt Ave is mostly residential. We parked downtown parking lot and sat on Main Street.

We were at the EconoLodge on Rt 11. I would not recommended it.

Holiday Inn express, Mechanicsburg. Any other thoughts, experiences or suggestions?

Do we know when next year’s event will be? Is it always the weekend following the 4th, or second weekend of July?

Thanks
 
BSB67 said:
Casey and I watched the cruise. Not many cars, and probably only 30% of those were classic muscle cars. I wouldn’t give up on it as it was the first time event. Where to park for spectating was unclear as Pitt Ave is mostly residential. We parked downtown parking lot and sat on Main Street.

We were at the EconoLodge on Rt 11. I would not recommended it.

Holiday Inn express, Mechanicsburg. Any other thoughts, experiences or suggestions?

Do we know when next year’s event will be? Is it always the weekend following the 4th, or second weekend of July?

Thanks
Click to expand...
It's always the weekend after the 4th. There are two Holiday Inns in Mechanicsburg. The Technology Parkway location is superior, though the other is a bit closer to the fair grounds. Two awesome grocery stores located nearby, excellent restaurant choices in east Harrisburg area, way better than Carlisle. Two regulars I hung out with in the parking lot left the location two years ago when it started getting run down, but it got renovated the next year.
 
I've stayed on that stretch of Rt. 11 and wouldn't recommend it either. I'd look past the turnpike towards the fairgrounds. I bet you'd be OK with the Holiday Inn Express on 11. Like I said, there's usually activity there at night. At the least you can sit on the parking lot edge and watch cars go by which I've done a few times. There's usually a group that hangs on a grass island between the Rutter's gas station and the hotel parking lot. Our friends used to park there and party but they have a Motorhome now and are in the trailer lot.

There's a smaller motel directly across the road from the H.I.E. but I've never stayed there. Seems lower budget.

I've stayed at what used to be the Hampton Inn right before the turnpike on the right. It's something else now and I can't vouch for the quality of it.
 
rmchrgr said:
There's usually a group that hangs on a grass island between the Rutter's gas station and the hotel parking lot. Our friends used to park there and party but they have a Motorhome now and are in the trailer lot.
Click to expand...
We always parked across from them every year. I think one of them had a butterscotch 69 six pack bee. I was wondering why we didn't see the party tent up on saturday night.
 
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