Bellevue Early Ford Picnic
 

This year the Puget Sound V-8 merged their annual show with a local Mustang club. I am not a member of either club so I'm not sure of the reason for it. I have been attending and enjoying their show since the early 80's and have noticed the turnout has been dropping in recent years. I have to say that this year was a big disappointment. I saw very few early V-8's this year and kind of got the vibe that most of the club members were boycotting the show because of the merge. I will say this much , if you happen to own and enjoy a 2005 or newer Mustang and attended you really enjoyed the show. I felt like over half the cars there were in that group. This is just my opinion of my day there. Did anybody else attend ?

Re: Bellevue Early Ford Picnic
 

Uncle Buck,
I have been a member of the Puget Sound Regional Group since 1973. While I no longer live in the Seattle area since I retired, I did make an effort to attend the Ford Picnics the club has put on for I believe over 40 years. I did not attend this year, I had other commitments but, wouldn't have because in the past, our club had problems because of the Mustang Club. When I was PSRG President (1984,1985)we were kicked out of our Ford Picnic location (UW Husky Stadium parking area) because the Mustang Club complained that they should be able to use the facility too and after they had their event the next year, they left such a mess the UW said "we don't need this, no more car events" and cancelled our plans for our next years picnic. I wasn't at that Mustang event but UW officials told me they also were running a swap meet and left oil stains and junk there, and a few burn outs were done. It was HARD to find a new location, and this is when we moved to the Bellevue Community College. SO it wouldn't surprise me if many of the older members who remember this chose to not attend this combined meet.

Re: Bellevue Early Ford Picnic
 

Back in the 90s when I was driving my 38 tonner as my work truck and daily driver I would see notices for the Bellevue event in the 'little nickel' free want ad paper. I wanted to go so badly but I had 4 young kids and another trip off island was an unnecessry expenditure. These days, with my woodie up and running I thought I would watch for it. After seeing this, I think I'll search for something else to attend. I WILL be driving to the Puget Sound antique tractor and machinery meet at Lynden Wa on the 1st of August to attend their annual meet. I have not missed in 30 years. They welcome old trucks and my woodie is just that. It sure ain't no mustang.

Re: Bellevue Early Ford Picnic
 

I totally understand your reasoning. Back in the early 90's my daily was a Shelby Dakota pickup. I drove it down to the Mustang show and paid my admission and was heading in to park it in the spectator parking. The parking volunteers told me I needed to park it in the Shelby section. I did and parked up at the top so I was away from vintage Shelbys. Shortly after that a couple friends in the club were trying to get me join it. I agreed to go to a meeting with them following the show. Imagine my surprise when I opened their newsletter and started reading it to see an article badmouthing my pickup being there and written by the club president -who also was this years show announcer. I never joined. This year I might add that the guy that took my money a snotty tone of voice when he directed us to the non-mustang parking.