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Posted By: Knighty YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 13th 2008 1:59 pm
LET'S ASSUME THAT you have never attended a van event before,
and have just now found our source for vanning here at vanning.com. You just purchased a van yourself , and after reading the posts , think that you would like to go to a van event and check it out. What would it be like ?

Here is a very brief idea of what it might seem like to you.. for this example I use information from my most recent van event, PROVANITY 28, which was held last weekend in Weedsport NY... It takes place at the Cayuga County Fairgrounds, which is easily accessed from the NY Thruway.
You arrive at the gate and are greeted warmly by some of the members of the host club. You will have to pay here, the fee for gate entry is usually around $40.00. You will discover that this indeed is a bargain as it allows you to camp there all weekend, enjoy the games and bands, visit the vendors, and most importantly meet other vanners who will be pleased to see you and guide you thru the event..You will receive a dash plaque (a colorful business card sized replica of the event logo) , an event schedule to advise you of what and where and when different things take place....Find a parking spot that you like and if you need to plug in anything like patio lights you may be lucky enought to find a outlet nearby..These are a first come- first served item and may not be available at the site you choose....

After you park you may want to start walking around a little and start to meet some of the vanners. Don't be shy, vanners as a group are very friendly and you only have to introduce yourself to a few of them... You will soon meet many more! From the time you arrive there will be activities going on...Each night there will be a live band playing, and even if you find that there are not that many people at the band itself, rest assured that there are many more folks enjoying the music from other areas. Some will be "hanging out" at the food vendor, or looking at items and services that the other vendors have available..At the club booth you will be able to buy ice, raffle tickets, and event souveniers. Every event that you attend will have a theme... This particular time it is "A Star Spangled Truck-in" and this will explain the many flags and patriotic displays you have notices as you walk around....Many of the vanners belong to a club similar to the one that is hosting this event.. that is : Salt City Vans, a well known van club from the Syracuse area...and as the number 28 indicates, they have been holding these events for many years....Sometimes these events are called Truck-ins.. (In the early days many vanners referred to their vehicles as trucks) although most now prefer the real name- VANS.. others will refer to these events as eVANts, van jams, runs, or rallies, it's all the same thing........

All weekend long you can watch or participate in many games that are held both in the adult and childrens catagory... You will want to take a long time ( and perhaps many photos) at the van show which is held in the show area as noted on your event schedule...As dusk arrives they will line up again for the night light show- something that can be a very colorful display, and these shows may very well get you thinking about how you can "Trick-out" your own van...

But before you know it the weekend will be over... Sunday morning will see the vanners packing up their gear, loading the vans, and after the morning awards ceremony is over, and you have enjoyed the free coffee and donuts provided by the host clubs, you can shake hands with some of your new-found vanner friends and prepare to leave.. Don't forget to take those flyers you have picked up over the weekend because you will find many of the same people in a few weeks at another location ..... And you will soon be able to refer to yourself as not just a van-owner, but a "Vanner"......

TIETIS..(Truck it easy-truck -it safe)
Posted By: Knighty Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 13th 2008 2:16 pm
AND THIS.... Kudos to Salt City Vans for hosting yet another PROVANITY...a very fine time as usual....The extreme heat caused many vanners to hang out at their sites where a few had pools ......As the evening came and gave respite from the heat, many vanners continued to stay in their site/pools....As a result it seemed that many people failed to go down to the band..But rest assured, a lot of people, especially older ones like us, enjoyed the music from a little ways away....(food booth- White House)
You may find this hard to believe, but in the "old" days when lucy and I were much younger, we would camp out in front of the band every night, and not leave until the band packed it in.....This is TRUE !
Posted By: Mat Mobile Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 13th 2008 4:26 pm
Very good write-up Knighty! Can I post links of this article on other sites? It's a great way to explain to newbies what Van-runs are.
Posted By: Snotty Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 13th 2008 5:44 pm
I agree... great write up Knighty.. I have copied and pasted it and sent it to a few friends at work... its ALOT easier then ME trying to explain it... hope ya don't mind Knighty...
Posted By: sasktrini Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 13th 2008 5:49 pm
I said it elsewhere, but I love this write-up! Plus I was too embarrassed to ask what "TIETIS" was lol

Thanx, Knighty!

Corey
Posted By: matchstickBGV Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 13th 2008 10:30 pm
Very good write up. I've only been to two eVants so far and they fit this description perfectly.
Posted By: dan Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 14th 2008 12:29 pm
Yes, it is a great write-up on explaining a van run to people.
People just dont get it.
Posted By: NateB Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 14th 2008 7:31 pm
Great article Knighty!
Posted By: newkirkinc1 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 16th 2008 9:41 pm
Very well put Knighty.
Posted By: Dodges 3 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 17th 2008 11:46 am
Excellent write up. Thanks for this, and also mentioning the TIETIS thing, as another Canuk that didn't know what it meant...lol
Posted By: hippieluke Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 18th 2008 11:11 pm
well said
Posted By: Ecovanner1963 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 22nd 2008 12:35 pm
I cant F-ing WAIT!!! I want to play the group games and hang out by the Band!!!!
Posted By: BlueMagoo Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 22nd 2008 1:40 pm
Just get in your van and drive...
Posted By: Dodges 3 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 22nd 2008 3:31 pm
Drop that keyboard and get out to an event. There's nothin like it...cheers
Posted By: Ecovanner1963 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 22nd 2008 7:30 pm
When I can drive the VAN there, I WILL!!!!! PROMISE! Looks like NATS will be my first show.
Posted By: newkirkinc1 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 22nd 2008 11:18 pm
Lets hope to see ya there.
Posted By: on the road Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 25th 2008 12:54 am
As usual one man (Knighty) has put the thoughts of hundreds of us into a nice neat package. That post should be required reading for all who join this site!
Posted By: Superbeast Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 25th 2008 9:24 am
Originally Posted by on the road
As usual one man (Knighty) has put the thoughts of hundreds of us into a nice neat package. That post should be required reading for all who join this site!


Can't force people to read it, but I shall make it a sticky to keep it up top.
Posted By: newkirkinc1 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 25th 2008 10:01 am
Thats a good idea,good one to read for all newcomers as Howard said.
Posted By: 84StreetVan Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - December 14th 2008 4:45 am
Great Post. I go to a lot of car shows, but have never been to a Vannin. Thank you for the explaination. Two questions?? Do you have to stay for the weekend or can you just attend for the day if your not available for the whole weekend? And is there a list of upcoming eVANts in the New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania area? I would really like to be able to attend some this upcoming season.
Posted By: jimdee Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - December 14th 2008 2:14 pm
well 84SV ......most runs will let u come and go as u please but as the night goes on they like to close the front gate to try to stop people from leaving that has had to much to drink and keep vanners safe but if you need to leave you can. my first was in 06 at summerset in pa. (aka frozenset) for the people who went will remeber was like in the teens at night ...but even with the cold i still had a blast and sense have been to 6 to 7 a year! As for info on were and when this site is awesome for up comming eVANts plus on showvan site has a list as well good luck and hope to see u at some next seasons you will have a great time people are the best!! jimdee
Posted By: Superbeast Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - December 15th 2008 10:40 am
Originally Posted by 84StreetVan
Two questions?? Do you have to stay for the weekend or can you just attend for the day if your not available for the whole weekend? And is there a list of upcoming eVANts in the New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania area? I would really like to be able to attend some this upcoming season.


Dude, we really need to hook up and BS vans!
Posted By: 89lxstanger Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - April 19th 2009 2:24 pm
as if i needed another reason to get my van started and done so myself and family can attend an evant

thats was one hell of a write up
Posted By: BowTie89 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - August 10th 2010 11:13 am
Very well put. About how I pictured it before I even registered. It's gonna be nice the day I finally go to my first event.
Posted By: greyhairedjoe Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - March 19th 2011 1:53 pm
Awesome write-up..As i myself have never attended a Vannin,I look forward to meeting ,puttin a name with a face and tipping a few back with all that attend the Nats this year...
Posted By: badassastro Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - June 19th 2012 10:36 pm
Very good write up. So looking forward to my first Nats, only 3 weeks
Posted By: newkirkinc1 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - February 24th 2021 2:00 am
October 1976! # 1
Posted By: Lionhead Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - February 24th 2021 4:17 am
Boogie Bash 78 . By Boogie Buggy Vans Cedar Rapids IA.
Posted By: NateB Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - February 26th 2021 4:12 pm
33rd Nats 05
Posted By: frscke1 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - February 05th 2023 6:24 am
Originally Posted by Knighty
LET'S ASSUME THAT you have never attended a van event before,
and have just now found our source for vanning here at vanning.com. You just purchased a van yourself , and after reading the posts , think that you would like to go to a van event and check it out. What would it be like ?

Here is a very brief idea of what it might seem like to you.. for this example I use information from my most recent van event, PROVANITY 28, which was held last weekend in Weedsport NY... It takes place at the Cayuga County Fairgrounds, which is easily accessed from the NY Thruway.
You arrive at the gate and are greeted warmly by some of the members of the host club. You will have to pay here, the fee for gate entry is usually around $40.00. You will discover that this indeed is a bargain as it allows you to camp there all weekend, enjoy the games and bands, visit the vendors, and most importantly meet other vanners who will be pleased to see you and guide you thru the event..You will receive a dash plaque (a colorful business card sized replica of the event logo) , an event schedule to advise you of what and where and when different things take place....Find a parking spot that you like and if you need to plug in anything like patio lights you may be lucky enought to find a outlet nearby..These are a first come- first served item and may not be available at the site you choose....

After you park you may want to start walking around a little and start to meet some of the vanners. Don't be shy, vanners as a group are very friendly and you only have to introduce yourself to a few of them... You will soon meet many more! From the time you arrive there will be activities going on...Each night there will be a live band playing, and even if you find that there are not that many people at the band itself, rest assured that there are many more folks enjoying the music from other areas. Some will be "hanging out" at the food vendor, or looking at items and services that the other vendors have available..At the club booth you will be able to buy ice, raffle tickets, and event souveniers. Every event that you attend will have a theme... This particular time it is "A Star Spangled Truck-in" and this will explain the many flags and patriotic displays you have notices as you walk around....Many of the vanners belong to a club similar to the one that is hosting this event.. that is : Salt City Vans, a well known van club from the Syracuse area...and as the number 28 indicates, they have been holding these events for many years....Sometimes these events are called Truck-ins.. (In the early days many vanners referred to their vehicles as trucks) although most now prefer the real name- VANS.. others will refer to these events as eVANts, van jams, runs, or rallies, it's all the same thing........

All weekend long you can watch or participate in many games that are held both in the adult and childrens catagory... You will want to take a long time ( and perhaps many photos) at the van show which is held in the show area as noted on your event schedule...As dusk arrives they will line up again for the night light show- something that can be a very colorful display, and these shows may very well get you thinking about how you can "Trick-out" your own van...

But before you know it the weekend will be over... Sunday morning will see the vanners packing up their gear, loading the vans, and after the morning awards ceremony is over, and you have enjoyed the free coffee and donuts provided by the host clubs, you can shake hands with some of your new-found vanner friends and prepare to leave.. Don't forget to take those flyers you have picked up over the weekend because you will find many of the same people in a few weeks at another location ..... And you will soon be able to refer to yourself as not just a van-owner, but a "Vanner"......

TIETIS..(Truck it easy-truck -it safe)

Well said ! ! !
Posted By: newkirkinc1 Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - December 31st 2023 4:07 pm
Nicely done!
Posted By: MufflerMan Mike Re: YOUR FIRST VAN EVENT ? - January 01st 2024 8:21 pm
Pretty much say's it all. Good info
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