This Season's Events
Posted by Gillian Fournier on 29th Jun 2016
As many of you may know, Eric and I like to pack up the majority of the shop, stuff our Jeeps and the trailer to the brim with stock and goodies and hit up many of the local wheeling community events during the season. These events bring crowds from all over and never cease to amaze us. From rock crawling competitions to the good ol' mud pits and the vendor booths to the food trucks, there is always something to do and something to see while there.
I'll be the first to say, it's not always as easy as it seems to set up a vendor booth. We have to know the type of demographic that will attend each event, what they're into and what they'll want. After that planning, then we have to go through all of our inventory and start packing what we think will draw attention and/or sell. This can be difficult since a lot of what we stock sells off the shelves when customers come in. A lot of preparation goes into vending an event and we are beyond grateful that each and every one we have done has been successful. It's a great way to meet new clients and to get our name and brand "out there" easily.
Here is a list, a little backstory and links to the events we will be attending and vending at this season:
Wounded Soldiers Run Jeep Jamboree Presented By Jeep Runs for Fun: July 31, 2016
This event is definitely a fun one! Each ticket is $20 and includes "meat on a stick", a 50 mile convoy around the surrounding towns, plenty of music, bouncy houses and fun. All of the proceeds and donations made go to benefiting a wounded soldier. This year will be our third year participating in this awesome day and we're keeping our fingers crossed that the weather holds out, yet again, for another topless ride for a good cause!
Wounded Soldiers Run Jeep Jamboree
Just for Jeeps JeepFest Hosted by Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Norwood, Ma: August 6, 2016
Jeep Fest is a no-brainer. Who wouldn't want to meet up with friends and fellow Jeepers for a free event during the summer?! The dealership clears out the entire front lot for everyone to park their Jeeps. They provide free food, from their exclusive "Jeep Grill" which includes the usual hot dogs, hamburgers and more. This is a family friendly event and there are contests throughout the day for all ages. Take a stroll around the lot to check out other Jeeps, check out the vendor booths for souvenirs, freebies, information and more. Country 102.5 will be there providing music and chances to win tickets to this summer's hottest concerts.
Paul Bailey's Jeep Fest Presented by Ocean State Jeepsters: August 13, 2016:
Paul Baileys Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Dealership in North Kingstown, Rhode Island will be hosting their 4th annual JeepFest presented by the Ocean State Jeepsters and this event was a fun one!! Complete with trail rides running every half hour to hour and even a "car crushing course" that gives you the chance to drive your Jeep over junked and crushed cars, we've had a blast every year. We've seen all years, makes, models, mods, etc. of Jeeps and have been extremely impressed by the turnout year after year!
Ocean State Jeepsters Calendar of Events
Jeep Jam Meet n Greet Hosted by Wojcik's Farm: August 20, 2016
This event is the first of hopefully many! If it says "Jeep", bring it on by! This is a free event and is family friendly. Spectators are welcome, but only Jeeps are allowed parking in the Jeep Jam parking area. There will be plenty of Jeeps, vendors, food, contests and more and we are looking forward to attending this and seeing what it brings!
The Great American Jeep Rally in Ellington, CT: September 17, 2016:
This event is, by far, one of our favorite. We attended this event once before immediately asking if we could vend at the next one. It is a non-profit event that raises money for various charities and organizations throughout the area. This is a full day of rock gardens, mud pits, Jeep builds, trophies, contests, food trucks, music, kids fun area and rows upon rows of vendors including Rock Krawler, Clayton, Steinjager, JCR Offroad and more (and of course, us!) Parking is no problem, considering the corn fields are leveled to make room for all rigs, from stock to heavily modded. We look forward to this event every year and are pleasantly surprised at the new additions added each time!
The NEA 4WD Fall Crawl at Field and Forest Recreation Area: September 9-11, 2016:
The NEA 4WD's Annual Fall Crawl is another event you don't want to miss, but tickets and spots sell out quickly! Participation is limited to NEA members and their invited guests. If you aren't part of an NEA club yet, this is the time to do so! There are so many benefits to joining a club but that's for another time. This is a 2 day event of camping, raffles, BBQ and, of course, your choice of up to 17 trails to wheel! From stock to modded to buggies, this was one of the most memorable. We attended this event last year and had an absolute blast! There are campsites scattered across the "field" and there is parking for RV's and campers as well. Some sites are secluded and come with their own fire pits for s'mores, burgers, and more! The trail runs are on Saturday and Sunday and are selected for you, by staff, depending on your vehicle's qualifications and the driver's experience and comfortability. The trails range from blues and greens to blacks and reds and every vehicle is paired with groups of similar builds and capabilities so nobody is left behind. End the long day with a BBQ, music, raffles and laughs.
Crawling for a Cure at Monson Quabog Riders Club: October 15, 2016
We were invited to join the crew at Crawling for a Cure last fall to vend our first, of hopefully many, events. This is a non-profit organization designed to raise money for breast cancer research and survivors. The day was chilly, windy and raw but it was still a fantastic turnout. There was a large area for vendors and they provided food and drinks at the club house as well as a day full of trail rides. This is a family friendly event that goes toward a great cause and you won't want to miss!
We hope to be adding to this list of events as time goes on and, as always, hope to see you there! Be sure to swing by our tent to meet us. If you see us wandering around the events, be sure to get our attention! We'd love to meet you!