Anoka City Forum Lover? Anoka Car Show Hater?

Top Ten Reasons Why We Hate the Anoka Car Show  

   10.  It has become too successful. 

  Close to 5000 attendees come to Anoka every Saturday night to see the cars , enjoy the music, renew old acquaintances, and make new friends . Ages range from 8 months to 87 years young. There are single people, couples and families all coming together to enjoy the evening   

    As blue-blooded Anokans we can’t have this! As Pete B. states ” We want our streets back”!   

    9 . It doesn’t cost the City any money   

 The  Anoka Car Show people use their own vehicles, gas, trailers, sound equipment, garbage containers and signage. They drop  the barricades off  at 7 am on Saturday morning and pick them up at 7 am on Sunday morning. The put out garbage cans prior to the show and pick up the garbage at the end of the night.  On Sunday mornings, they walk the streets and pickup any additional items that might have been missed the prior evening. They pay for bathrooms, storage for their equipment, musical entertainment for the show, INSURANCE, and refuse bags. They also provide their own security during the show to insure safety for all the attendees. 

  We can’t have this in Anoka. Anoka Halloween costs the City an estimated $31,000 and Riverfest over $9.000. The Anoka Car Show has more attendees and makes us look bad.

       8. Businesses are prospering as a result 

It is no secret that the restaurants, the antiques shops and specialty shops are prospering as a result of the car show. It was reported by one shop owner that they have customers coming in during the week, as a result of the car show , to purchase items that they have seen in the window. The people who run the Car Show have offered to distribute flyers, provide vendor space, and promote any Anoka specialty business for free. Also the Car Show people buy products from many local businesses. 

  We can’t have that in Anoka. We have the Chamber , ABLA, and RDA. You have to pay us before we do any type of promotion for you. This is poppycock and has to stop immediately!    

      7.  It brings new people to Anoka.  

 It has been reported that show attendees have come from 71 (?) different cities in MN and from 3 other states.  It is great for   “Anoka Classic” 

  We can’t have all these outsiders coming to Anoka. They might help the economy too much. Three years ago ABLA and the City spent close to $20,000 to attract tourists to Anoka.  They had great results!  287 people that spent an average of $31.27 each came to town on a bus The cost to attract these tourists  was less than $100 per person plus we never had to see them again.  We got our streets back!     

   6. The people that run the  Anoka Car Show are always positive and happy.  

 Because of the positive  attitude and the good energy that prevails; The Anoka Car Show is the place to go on a Saturday night.  Attendance keeps climbing. The organizers thank us for coming and we feel safe and respected  there.  

ANOKA belongs to us! We can’t have anything positive here unless we say so.  And then you better be positive and  happy or else!  Next thing that will happen is that Anoka will be known  as “ The Car Show Capital of the World”  

        5. Charities and Non profits are being helped .

   Much of what has been given has gone to the Anoka Food Shelves, the Alexandra House, The Red Cross, The Susan B Kohlmen Fund, The Pumpkins for Needy Kids promotion, The Pumpkins for the Anoka Halloween carving contest, the Breakfast with Santa fund.   Donations have also been made to the Rediscover Anoka Group. Now the Car Show is trying to promote the Anoka Fire Department Fund Raiser as they did Halloween Inc Car Giveaway last year  

We don’t like it and don’t want to talk about it.   

    4. A Married Woman is paid for running it.   

While almost all of the volunteers are just that;  unpaid worker who love classic cars and people, one certain person is paid for running and organizing the Anoka Car Show by RTCP , a certified 501c3 non profit group . She is only receives a paycheck after all the expenses are paid. Then she in turn pays all her expenses. 

   We can’t have anyone making money in Anoka. Forget about the Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. He doesn’t count. Besides we know she makes a $1,000,000 a week plus commissions off the Car Show. Besides I bet WE can find someone who will work 26 weeks a year  for free or better yet we can close the Car Show down. And don’t bring up anything about Tax Abatements. We are elitists and we deserve not to pay our fair share.  Besides women should be at home taking care of their husbands not out in public.

3.      The Anoka Car Show people are really a political group. 

  The Anoka Car Show has become a destination for many people on a Saturday night. Any and all candidates for office have been invited to come and meet their constituents. No signs are to be put up or handouts to be circulated. What the attendees or the people who volunteer do with their time outside car show is their business. 

  We would never consider even going to the Car Show, let alone have to meet THOSE people. I am sure they are talking about us all the time and we can’t control what they think or say.

      2. The Car Show keeps us from getting a Fine Dining Restaurant 

  The people that come to the car show in general have above average incomes. When you drive an automobile that is valued at over $250,000 you might have some disposable income.  Furthermore the restaurants are packed on a Saturday night as a result of the show. Talk to any of the owners. If you want to build it they will come. 

  Don't try to confuse us with the facts.  Beside this is the best reason we could come up with.    

    1.     People we don’t like are making it successful.  

 Skoquist, Barr, Gundlach have all worked at the Anoka Car Show. They have helped at the gate, moved barricades, directed traffic and mingled with the attendees. 

  Precisely!  The Anoka Car Show was not our idea and we don’t want to spend any time there mingling with THOSE people.  In Anoka it use to be all about us; not about anyone else.    What is happening!