No West Seattle Car Show this year, organizers announce

(SEE JUNE STORY FOR UPDATE – CAR SHOW **IS** ON FOR 2015)

(WSB photo from 2014 West Seattle Car Show)
No West Seattle Car Show this year, according to Swedish Automotive and West Seattle Autoworks (both WSB sponsors), who joined forces last year to make sure the show would go on despite the death of its founder. They have just sent this statement and asked us to share it with you:

Due to all the changes in The Junction, including scheduling and space restrictions, The Junction is no longer an option for a car show, and there is no other reasonable alternative at this time. We regret to inform the community that we are unable to put on a car show in 2015. We appreciate the community support we had last year in our first presentation of the show in honor of Michael Hoffman and all of the volunteers, sponsors, participants, and spectators that made it a great success – and the biggest in the show’s history.

The show had been an annual late-summer Junction tradition since its start in 2008, founded and organized by local entrepreneur Michael Hoffman until his sudden death at age 47 in March of last year.

52 Replies to "No West Seattle Car Show this year, organizers announce"

  • miws May 4, 2015 (10:13 am)

    So sad to hear about this, but thank you to Swedish Automotive, and West Seattle Autoworks, for sponsoring last year’s fabulous show.

    .

    I think it was important to Honor Michael’s memory with at least one more occurrence of his (and Our Community’s) beloved Car Show, and the record Participant attendance last year was was a wonderful way to do that….

    .

    Mike

  • HelperMonkey May 4, 2015 (10:20 am)

    Wow, that is super disappointing. I wonder if Admiral Junction would be willing to step up and close off California between Admiral and College street to accommodate the car show in the future since the Junction Association is unwilling/unable to host it?

  • Curtis May 4, 2015 (10:21 am)

    Is this because of the new retail in the new buildings or is this because of the farmers market? There really should be a way to fix this. Alki used to have a car show, perhaps that could work again?

  • au May 4, 2015 (10:33 am)

    a car show is nothing i am interested in yet i’m sorry for your loss. i can’t help to wonder if its too contrary to the ‘nobody needs cars anyway’ attitude the city is trying to create? hope it works out and it can continue somewhere.

  • NotOnHoldrn May 4, 2015 (10:34 am)

    What about White Center?!?!?

  • maplesyrup May 4, 2015 (10:34 am)

    HelperMonkey, the last time there was a car show in that junction, some clowns (there’s a better word but I’m avoiding profanity) were driving their absurdly loud cars up and down the surrounding side streets. As long as people aren’t rude like that next time, I’d be all for it.

  • WS4life May 4, 2015 (10:34 am)

    “scheduling and space restrictions” I would like some elaboration? Did they not plan far enough in advance? Is it because of all the construction? Or is it because of the farmers market move to California Avenue SW? Because if it was the “biggest in the show’s history”, why not continue with the tradition? It sounds to me like someone doesn’t want to pony (car) up the money. Maybe next year 2016 when Starbucks comes to the junction they can afford to pay for the show. The Starbucks Junction car show has a good ring to it. I guess we can all kiss the small town feeling of community goodbye in WS. As it is now the age of overpriced apartments and condos.

  • dsa May 4, 2015 (11:04 am)

    “scheduling and space restrictions”
    .
    Sounds like the car show got kicked out of the junction.

  • ChefJoe May 4, 2015 (11:09 am)

    Well, I guess when you’re a “frequent transit service” area like the admiral junction, a car show is just gauche.

  • Diane May 4, 2015 (11:15 am)

    agree with WS4life; what does “Due to all the changes in The Junction, including scheduling and space restrictions” mean?

  • Karen May 4, 2015 (11:18 am)

    How about having it in beautiful Rat City?

  • Bill on Duwamish Head May 4, 2015 (11:45 am)

    How about Terminal 5 for a location?

    There is plenty of space there, even with Shell Oil repair operations going on.

    Of course, the show still requires organizers and money to put on.

  • JeffK May 4, 2015 (12:02 pm)

    How about down at Alki next year?

  • Rob May 4, 2015 (12:19 pm)

    If Greenwood can do it over what, 15, 20 blocks, WS could still do it. There has to be more to it. Farmers market? WS street fair? Etc. I believe in the organizers, not so much in the tepid reason.

  • rpo May 4, 2015 (12:22 pm)

    I vote for Alki too.

  • Diane May 4, 2015 (12:26 pm)

    another vote for Alki

  • onion May 4, 2015 (1:28 pm)

    Alki is pretty congested in summer as it is. I can’t imagine all the problems that location would cause, unless the car show was extremely small.

    Admiral Junction, on the other hand, is actually an interesting option especially due to the diminishing traffic as you travel north on California.

  • Fiwa Jcbbb May 4, 2015 (1:34 pm)

    No car show? As they used to say on Almost Live!…..”Lame!”

  • amrakx May 4, 2015 (2:15 pm)

    How about Alki as in years ago? I believe it was an annual event on Alki in the park area across Cactus in years past. Everyone seemed to enjoy the “soft” gathering of neighbors and car aficionados.

  • monroe1200 May 4, 2015 (2:33 pm)

    …and here come all of the “great” and “wonderful” changes that were promised to us with all of the development…

  • bolo May 4, 2015 (3:07 pm)

    Nobody promised “great” and “wonderful” changes.
    They DID promise “vibrant” and “synergistic” however.

  • Curtis May 4, 2015 (3:42 pm)

    Usually by now, this kind of topic has a few responses from “other side” Now, if this is just simply a lack of funds, fine. But as last year’s car show was the biggest yet, there is clearly a market for it. My Spidey Sense tells me that this is the unintended consequence of the Farmers Market’s move to the street. If so, I would like to alert the farmers market folks that some cooperation here will help out YOUR attendance as well. Now, if there are some new restrictions in place, it would be nice to know what they are so that we can whine about them, um, er, I mean cooperate to affect some change. This show was growing and it would really be a shame to lose it completely.

    As for Alki, any show would have to include the closure of the street for a certain stretch. That said, there used to be a Hi-Yu car show down on the beach every year on the same weekend as the parade.

    Ok, I know WSB isn’t my personal journalist, but I do hope to hear a bit more about these rather ambiguous reasons. Certainly, Chipotle could smooth some ruffled feathers with a sponsorship, right??

  • Mike May 4, 2015 (4:40 pm)

    What a drag. Really enjoyed the show and the atmosphere.

  • Steve May 4, 2015 (6:31 pm)

    Welcome to our future…

  • Charity Mendez May 4, 2015 (6:56 pm)

    To everyone “voting” for the next location that the organizers can host this car show, why don’t YOU organize a car show of your own? You’re obviously passionate about cars, what’s stopping you from carrying on the torch? Not playing passive aggressive here, seriously suggesting you continue the tradition.

  • Clo May 4, 2015 (7:28 pm)

    I’m guessing this has to do with the farmer’s market and the junction association(or other powers that be). I know a month or two ago all the paperwork/applications were submitted for using the Junction or Alki (whichever was available) but looks like the city (or whoever) turned them down.

  • Denny May 4, 2015 (7:39 pm)

    Curtis –

    You could be on to something – may not be nefarious, but unintended consequence of Farmer’s Market move?

    Car Show used California on a Sunday. 1 block of California now will be used for Famers Market every Sunday.

    Tradeoffs.

    My guess is that naming that tradeoff in a release could be perceived as blame – so we get a vague statement that causes +20 comments.

    At the same time – any event like the car show is a huge undertaking, and it might simply be more than a group is ready to take on every year.

    West Seattle has many different community events that take huge lifting by volunteers, perhaps this was one too many?

    I look forward to going to White Center to check out the cars!

  • Just a thought May 4, 2015 (8:07 pm)

    How about at South Seattle College? They have the automotive program there and maybe the students might be interested in volunteering. There is a nice large lot, and it’s a summer weekend, so not a lot of student parking to contend with.

    Why not entertain that option and get some food trucks to show up? I know there isn’t retail traffic there, but it’s a car show. It could be a whole new event with space to spread out a little.

  • themightyrabbit May 4, 2015 (8:18 pm)

    This is very disappointing. It’s one of those events the whole family can enjoy, the folks that own the cars are always interesting to talk to. It’s always such a nice change from cars zipping up and down the main street. I hope the organizers will be able to continue negotiations and I really hope it isn’t some special interests blocking them out. Will be good to get to the bottom of this and bring it back right away. West Seattle is missing out on some small town fun. Do we really want that?

  • WSR May 4, 2015 (9:06 pm)

    Reading through all of the posts here, please don’t blame the Farmer’s Market. This is not due to their change in location. The Farmer’s Market is an invaluable, weekly benefit to our community. It is about time they move the market location to give them more space and get them out of the back lot which has the worst grading that turns into a line of puddles to hop across in the rainy season. The new location will help attract new vendors which will be a benefit to the community to make our Farmer’s Market, one of the few year round markets in the city, that much stronger.

    The car show on the other hand was a more one-dimensional demographic in terms of attendees. Street closures are very tough on small, local merchants. Michael had closed his storefront space years ago due to the rising rents and challenges on small business to make a profit and earn a wage, let alone a livable wage in the area. Many of these small, local merchants lost 1/2-2/3 of their regular sales during the car show as most of the regular shoppers avoided the area and many of the folks attending are not shopping. The Junction is not the best place for a car show. Alki or a location similar would be more appropriate.

  • Jeff May 4, 2015 (10:04 pm)

    I’m boycotting the Farmers Market.

    Trader Joe’s is friendly.

    And Whole Foods is on the way.

    And I won’t be harassed by candidates, causes, or signature collectors.

  • Captain Dave May 4, 2015 (11:09 pm)

    Stay tuned for that all new West Seattle bike, skateboard and seeker show. …Featuring free carbon guilt therapy and non-GMO tofu lattes.

  • LyndaB May 4, 2015 (11:50 pm)

    I second South Seattle College. They have plenty of room! I love the food truck idea!

  • Curtis May 5, 2015 (1:58 am)

    went to the auto show ever year – have never been and have no interest in the Farmer’s Market. I’m sorry to see the show go. If there’s any way for the Market to take a break for one week in the fall or to coexist with the Junction Auto Show, that would be terrific. I hope there is some sort of compromise available.

    If the Junction is truly out, the College is definitely intriguing – especially with a corresponding food truck rodeo. Hope something can be salvaged.

  • WestofJunction May 5, 2015 (6:16 am)

    WRS- thank you. Now I truly understand Seattle! Evidently potholes are a part of nature, at least around here – an organic, nay sentient species! And the barbarians in the burbs actually repair and fill them in! For shame.

    But seriously, I’m no a car fanatic, but I enjoy the car show – one weekend out of the year is not too much to ask for.

  • TBone May 5, 2015 (7:35 am)

    The south Seattle college idea is great!!! Especially with food trucks!

  • Chris May 5, 2015 (7:50 am)

    I live in Alki, and I’m open to moving the car show here. Yes, it would add to the chaos and mayhem that is Alki in the summer. But that’s to be expected of any event held down here, and that vibrancy is a reason why I love it.

  • AJP May 5, 2015 (8:30 am)

    The SSC idea sounds AWESOME! What a great way to show off their programs, bring people onto their beautiful campus, and have the show in a location with little impact on the neighborhood in general. Seems like a win-win!

  • AJ May 5, 2015 (9:16 am)

    LOVE the South Seattle College idea! I’ve never been to the Car Show before, but if they combined it with food trucks and/or offerings from the SSC culinary students, in a less-congested location, I’d be more inclined to go.

  • WS Car Show May 5, 2015 (9:57 am)

    To everyone that has responded to this post, thank you for your warm attachment to the West Seattle Car Show. It is clear from responses that community events in general and the car show in particular have been touchstones in the lives of many of our West Seattle neighbors. There appears to be some speculation that “scheduling and space restrictions” is really code for something else. Not so… here are the basic facts:
    •Paperwork was filed timely for the Car Show and sponsorship is not the question.
    •The West Seattle Farmers Market has priority in the West Seattle Junction every Sunday from here to eternity. Note: The Farmers Market is agreeable to and cooperative with having a concurrent event. However, it has standing agreements with vendors regarding location and schedule, and these contracts are non-negotiable. Hence, the scheduling and space restrictions.
    •The West Seattle Junction Association is not in support of having a car show in the Junction on a Saturday (in case this gets mentioned). Note: It has never been the intention of the West Seattle Car Show to produce an event that does not benefit the Junction businesses and does not have their support.
    •Invention or re-invention takes much more time, patience and resources than trying to repeat what has worked in the past. Any car show in the Junction (or maybe anywhere in West Seattle) from this time forward will not look like any car show that has ever been before.
    •A dedicated and experienced event coordinator would be needed to assess the viability and requirements of shifting location or finding an entirely new one as well as completing the tasks to make the event happen. We do not have a dedicated and experienced event coordinator who knows this community and is willing to re-invent this car show.

    We love the communication that is happening and we really want to be upfront and open with our community. Keep the questions and comments coming!

  • curtis May 5, 2015 (10:58 am)

    As I read this, the problem isn’t the “Farmers Market”, it is that the Farmers Market has a contract with Farmer John and Farmer Jane to be open every Sunday. The guys sponsoring the show were kinda just stepping in and have businesses to run. While liots of time and effort might be able to make this work, they really have neither. Hopefully, there’s still a way to fix this. Perhaps the Hi-Yu folks have the expertise?

    Anyway, thanks for the response and thanks to WSB for this forum.

    • WSB May 5, 2015 (11:02 am)

      As mentioned here time and again, Hi-Yu remains desperately in need of volunteers for its own events (such as building a float, scholarship program for annual royalty, taking the float to other community festivals as a traveling West Seattle ambassador entourage of sorts), let alone taking on something new. Anyone who’d like to help, contact info is at http://westseattlehiyu.com – TR

  • Patrick May 5, 2015 (11:20 am)

    The large parking lot on the north side of the college is mostly taken up on the weekends. A motorcycle safety class takes up very large portion of the lot on Saturdays and Sundays. A such the balance of the lot could contain the car show and parking for those who would like to attend.

  • Tom May 5, 2015 (2:47 pm)

    If the WSB will not do its job and name the individuals responsible for this calamity, I propose we boycott all Alaska Junction establishments.

  • Curtis May 5, 2015 (3:25 pm)

    Tom – I think the West Seattle Blog has, as usual, gone above and beyond. If you read the response from the show organizers, the Farmer’s Market is stuck with weekly contracts that they cannot break. It seems that when they negotiated the move to the Junction, no one remembered the car show. I wonder if they remembered the street fair? Anyway, it seems as though there’s a workable solution, but as of yet, no one with the expertise AND time has been found to rescue this. I was suitably rebuffed when I mentioned HI-YU, but perhaps the Rotary or a few Churches could get together on this (donate some food or summer clothes, see some great cars?) From what is being reported, there are no Junction merchants blocking anything. Again, Kudos to WSB for keeping us informed. Hopefully, someone with the ability to step in is really fix this is reading.

  • Oliver Little May 5, 2015 (3:51 pm)

    I hope this helps: I’ve been working on this behind the scenes for months. It’s unfortunate, but at this time – it’s true. There are no monsters or bad guys, just reasonable people trying to make things work together in a tight time schedule and in an extremely popular neighborhood. Express your support and you might get what you want. Get out the torches and pitch forks and no one wins. Life is funny that way.

    Thanks to Swedish Automotive and West Seattle Auto Works for their commitment to our community and to the West Seattle Blog for continuing to be such a fantastic source for local news.

    Stay loose, WS!

  • Jacob May 5, 2015 (6:03 pm)

    I found this news to be really disappointing and think it reflects very poorly on the West Seattle Junction Association and whatever other parties may be involved.

    To Swedish Automotive and West Seattle Auto Works: Thanks for trying. You put on a great event last year, and I hope this isn’t the permanent end of the car show in the Junction.

  • Me May 5, 2015 (10:24 pm)

    This IS disappointing! I try to make every Junction because I love the spirit of the Junction and even if it is just people watching as I check out the amazing cars, it’s a wonderful addition to WSEA culture.

    To that end, I also love the street fair, or Summerfest as I call it. Is this also no longer happening?

    And, regarding an event coordinator….I may know a couple, who should they contact?

    • WSB May 5, 2015 (10:41 pm)

      Yes, West Seattle Summer Fest is on. That is presented by the Junction Association and its dates were announced earlier this year, July 10-12. http://westseattlefestival.com (music lineup to be announced a week from today) – TR

  • Telecommuter May 7, 2015 (9:20 am)

    This is very sad yet illustrates the shifting demographics of Seattle from being a balanced city to one quickly losing its working class base. Sometimes I wonder if this is by design.

  • Gary May 11, 2015 (1:57 pm)

    Well things like this do happen and it’s to bad.I myself was involved last year with doing the passing out of flyers for the WS car show.I was all over King & Pierce countys at other car shows passing the flyers out and the turnout was the best the WS show ever had.Of course the weather was really super and the show was opened up to all types of vehicles like the other shows have.A lot of you have mentioned Alki for a location…nice idea….lousy place for classic cars and the reason for that is the _seagulls & crows_and the deposits they leave on the cars which is NOT fun.It also takes a lot of planning for a car show and everything must be done months in advance.You have to deal with the area business,the local government agencies and the city of Seattle itself for all the street closures,police coverage etc.As I said,it takes a lot to put on a car show and it’s the same everywhere regardless of it’s WS or Greenwood or Edmonds and so on.I attend on the average 35 or more classic car shows each summer and I am only a spectator! I know a lot of people who have cars in the shows and some of them have been involved in putting on shows and they agree that it takes a lot of time and planning to pull it off.So WS most likely will not have a classic car show this year but there are plenty of other areas that will.I’m sure the WS area will survive it and “maybe” 2016 will bring better luck for a car show but don’t hold your breath for it.Go to Burien,Greenwood,Auburn etc shows this year,I know I will be doing just that.Thanks for reading…😀.

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