Ever since Donna and I got our MINIs I have had this thought of doing a Mini Meet in the fashion of the meets for classics.A four day event with Funkana,car show,swap meet,auto-X, Banquet and T.S.D. rally. Not to single anyone out as classics would be more than welcome. I was thinking about late spring 2005. This is an event where there would have to be an entry fee to cover food, insurance, auto-x , etc etc .I would hope there would be ample sponsorship with lots of goodies and perhaps some help from dealers and Mini USA.
What I would like is your input to see if the most of you would be interested.We have been host to Mini meet 1986 and Mini meet 1996. We have alot of things we could reuse from the meet in 1996.
Give me your thoughts. Remember at this time this is not an anouncement of an event just a plug for your thoughts. :red: :red: :green: :eb: :indi: :dark: :silk: :yellow: :cool:

Sounds like a nice idea.
I'm sure your prior experience will help a lot.
Good luck

Great idea, count on Fuzzy and me to attend. I will also offer any help that I can. :)

HC,
Count me in, I will also glad to lend any assistance that I can.

We are planning many similar events for this year's Pittsburgh Vintage Grandprix (the MINI/mini is the featured car this year). I would be more than willing to provide you with some help as far as the planning process/lessions that we learned from the up and coming Pittsburgh Vintage Grandprix. Keep us posted over the summer and we can compare notes after mid-July.

Excellent idea by the way!

Depending how life is going then, I'd be interested in this, too. I assuming you're planning it to be held in Knoxville?

Would probably do it late May 2005 in Sevierville at the gateway to Piegon Forge. Thats what we did in 1996 and worked out great with the Rally, A midnight drive to the Gatlinburg overlook and the picnic site at Douglas Dam.

Would probably do it late May 2005 in Sevierville at the gateway to Piegon Forge. Thats what we did in 1996 and worked out great with the Rally, A midnight drive to the Gatlinburg overlook and the picnic site at Douglas Dam.

Sounds wonderful!

Yep, you can definitely count on us for this event. The Gatlingburg/Pigeon Forge area is great fun with a lot of family activities to do. There are also a lot of GREAT places to eat. (Our favorite is 'No way Jose's' in Gatlinburg) What I personally would like to see is several vendors there selling parts and accessories fr our cars. Good luck with this one!!

Yes thats what the swap meet area would be for with no fee to vendors other than to donate some door prizes. :D
The years that we did this after all bills were paid we had some money left over and I think a charity would be in order to recieve any funds. Something that benifits people nationwide such as the Red Cross.

:p :p Well hey, I live in Sevierville, so I think i can make it. I would be available for any info or help you might need. :D :D :dark:

WHat an event that would be!!! I'll be there. I could help organize a Southern California group.

Hotelcalif, the timing and location are very close to what would be chosen for Dragon Run 2005. Interested in combining the two?

Now April, that's a plan.. I knew she would come up with the goods.. Why didn't we think of that.......... :confused: :dark:

Thanks for the yes vote, tjockey. :)

:D Middle to late May(before school ends) and late September-early October are the best before and after tourist season begins. Traffic is often a problem , but Me thinks I could give everybody a few backroads that would help out and provide a little entertainment as well. I haven't been this excited since Hector was a pup.... :D :D :D

The May date would correspond better with the Dragon Run.

tjockey would you e-mail me @ dkimble5@earthlink.net.

Another interested party chimes in :D

Yes AW. Having a Dragon day would be a good deal. Looks like this needs to be a four day event to get it all in.

As Hotelcalif is aware, they have a whole gang of car shows in the Pigeon Forge area all during the spring-fall, and this is a great area for this kind of venue. There are plenty of accomodations and restaurants and shouldn't be a problem to find a location or locations for the meet. Combine that with the Dragon, and you have the formula for a big time event. The BMW plant is in Spartanburg and Nashville, Charlotte, and Atlanta Mini dealers are not that far away. :D :D :D :dark:

>>>The BMW plant is in Spartanburg and Nashville, Charlotte, and Atlanta Mini dealers are not that far away.<<<<

Don't forget the dealership in Winston-Salem, too.

I hope most of you are still following this thread. A little more info on what the classic clubs would do. Lets say that I host a 2005 meet. At the end of that meet a group or club from the north would step up and wish to host the next year.So thats 2006 then for 2007 another group from the south would be the host. Get it?? Rotates from north to south every year.

You may have to coach us a bit Hotelcalif, I think most MINI2 people were never involved with Mini Meets.

I hope most of you are still following this thread. A little more info on what the classic clubs would do. Lets say that I host a 2005 meet. At the end of that meet a group or club from the north would step up and wish to host the next year.So thats 2006 then for 2007 another group from the south would be the host. Get it?? Rotates from north to south every year.


Hotelcalif, great idea, and definately an event we would attend. How far North were you thinking for 2006? Might be something our club (MINICCI) might consider.

We have been as far north as Toronto. Been to several Ohio Mini Meets too.

Sounds like a great plan D&D, you can count on my help if needed!

After seeing this and talking with our local group which is Smokey Mountain Minis, I think this will be a reality.
We had a poker run last Saturday and had a whopping 10 cars !!

Another interested party chimes in :D

:p :p :p sounded good in chat HotelCalif :cool:

I didn't want to see this thread die. I have family Near Gatlinburg, and could always have another reason to visit them.