LEAD EAST is for 1972 and earlier vehicles (1974 and earlier allowed Sunday) — but it's not just a car show!
THE CARS
The word LEAD is a synonym for "customized car." We fill four adjacent parking lots with 1,800 restored classic 1972 and earlier cars, customs, lowriders, and street rods. Many are for sale. Last year it attracted 1,800 cars (honest count) from more than 22 states, as far as Canada, Florida, Wisconsin and Oklahoma because it offers activities and non-stop entertainment unlike any other "car show" or oldies concert.
If you love custom cars — a true American art form — year in and year out LEAD EAST gathers more leadsleds (customized cars) than any other event on the planet. This event was created in 1983 to promote the custom car movement, and it has done just that. Many cars have been built and finished with LEAD EAST as the deadline, the event being an incentive for guys to start and complete their dream car. There are always a number of fresh, incredibly high quality customs on display at the event that we guarantee you have not seen.
A WORD TO THE WISE . . . OLD CARS PRE-REG EARLY.
WE WERE SOLD OUT OF CAR SPACES BY 10:30 AM SAT!
We'd love to see your 1972 or earlier vintage car at LEAD EAST 2013! It’s your choice, you can Register your car at the show or Pre-Register in Advance. Every year a higher percentage of the cars entered are pre-registered! For the 2012 event, two-thirds of the cars pre-registered and reserved their parking spot. Saturday of 2012 we were SOLD OUT of old car parking spaces by 10:30 AM!
FOUR ADVANTAGES OF PRE-REGISTERING
1.) It makes your Registration Process at the event go smoother and faster!
2.) Pre-Reg’d PLAN B’s get into the event and gain access to the Kraft or Diacchi lot hours earlier than those cars that choose to Register on-site on Friday or Saturday.
3.) Pre-Reg’d cars have the option of Reserving their Parking Spot in advance.
4.) You save a few bucks, and the SENIOR rate is available only to Pre-Reg’d cars!
OLD CAR PLAN A’s, PLAN B’s and ONE DAYS
PLAN A: For owners of old cars on display that have a hotel room reserved at the Hilton or Hampton Inn for a minimum of four nights (Thurs.-Sun.). The hotels are SOLD OUT, but there is a WAITING LIST and cancellations do occur. One Plan A (old car only) parking space available per hotel room.
All car entries include one old car, weekend wristbands for two adults and driver's kids inside the car under 18. Plan A entry is not included with hotel room price, but hotel reservation enables you the right to apply for a Plan A Package.
Plan A is a 4-day or 5-day package depending upon if you have a hotel room reserved starting Wed. or Thurs. night. You do not have to enter an old car to buy a hotel room at the Hilton/Hampton if you are a spectator, but weekend spectators with a hotel room at Hilton/Hampton do have to buy a weekend wristband for each person to come an enjoy the party. Reserving a hotel room DOES NOT entitle you to entry to our five-day 50‘s Party/Festival — you need to purchase a PLAN A package for your car and wristbands, or purchase a Weekend Spectator wristband.
PLAN B: A three day package for people entering an old car but not staying at Hilton/Hampton. Pre-Registered cars are normally allowed access to the Plan B (Campus 7) parking lot after 2:00 PM Friday (subject each year to approval by Property Management Company that oversees use of this business).
All Plan B’s not Pre-Reg’d, but buying Plan B On-Site Old Car Registration are not allowed into Registration or entry into Daichi Lot until 5:00 PM Friday. The Plan B Campus 6 lot will be SOLD OUT IN ADVANCE.
ONE DAYS: Sunday Only
Despite the fact other major events (GOODGUYS and NSRA) have never offered One-Day entries, for decades we have offered Saturday One Day entries to our event to cater to local rodders. However because each year we sell out old car parking spaces earlier, providing there is good weather (by noon 2011, by 10:30 AM 2012), for 2013 we are going to offer One Days on SUNDAY ONLY.
If you want to bring your old car Saturday and do not have a Hampton/Hilton room, you need to buy a Plan B. Because of the trend of recent years, we recommend a Plan B for bringing your old car Saturday.
One Days welcome Sunday, either Pre-Reg’d or On Site. No Party Passes issued for One Day cars.
PARTY PASSES AND
HOW TO RESERVE YOUR OLD CAR PARKING SPOT
Several years ago our loyal participants told us they wanted to reserve their old car parking space in advance for an additional fee. It was their idea, not ours! We tried the concept and it has become so popular, all of the Hilton-Hampton Inn parking lot and all of the of the Campus 7 or “B” Lot was reserved in advance. In 2012, 100 spaces in the Daiichi parking lot were reserved spaces. We anticipate even more for 2013. No other car event we know offers this convenience to old car owners.
Every Plan A (4-5 day) and Plan B (3 day) car entered, regardless of whether they Pre-Reg or Register On-Site, receives a PARTY PASS. It comes in a waterproof plastic bag and should be taped down in that car’s parking space so once it is there, that is your spot with your name and car entry number on it for the remainder of the weekend! If you reserve a parking space in advance, before the event begins, we tape your PARTY PASS down in your space for you so it is there when you arrive.
If you buy a Plan B in advance or on site and don’t reserve a spot in advance, we give you the Party Pass in a clear plastic bag and you put your name on it and tape it down in an open spot of your choice for the weekend.
There are no PARTY PASSES or Reserved parking spots for Sunday One Day old car participants.
If you want to make sure you can park next to your buddy, or if there is a specific spot you want because it has grass adjacent to it where you can set up your pop-up tent and BBQ, you can reserve your exact old car spot in advance when you Pre-Register. The sooner you pre-register, the better your pick of spaces. RESERVED OLD CAR PARKING SPACES ARE NOT REQUIRED, they are OPTIONAL!
You can reserve your spot when you pre-register. See the link below for parking lot maps.
Because we respect our repeat customers, we allow anyone with a reserved spot from 2012 until December 31, 2012 to reserve the same spot for the 2013 event. On January 1, 2013, all UNRESERVED spaces become available for anyone to reserve them. LEAD EAST is the only event we know that offers old car owners this option, which eliminates the “power parking” hassle, inconvenience and the stress that occurs at many ordinary old car events. If you’re driving down from New England or coming up from Virginia, etc., it’s a secure feeling to know your reserved spot will be there waiting for you, with your PARTY PASS taped down in your spot, days before the event begins. This is another unique LEAD EAST perk.
FREE TRAILER PARKING
Because a large number of old cars come on trailers, the parking lot at 6 Campus Drive is designated for tow vehicle and trailer parking. Please, no 18-wheelers. Providing you arrive before Friday afternoon, there is no charge for parking in this lot with a trailer, etc.
CHOPPED TOPS, BAGS, HYDRAULICS, “REAL” CUSTOMS
From the start in 1983, LEAD EAST has always allowed any car, truck, bus, etc. with a chopped top, air bag, or hydraulic “lowrider” suspension, as well as “real” customs with a significant amount of bodywork into the event, even if they are newer than 1972 vintage. A newer Corvette with a custom paint job, as an example, is not significant bodywork.
1974 OR EARLIER CARS SUNDAY
While LEAD EAST is restricted to 1972 and earlier cars to keep it as a true “oldies" event, because we are all getting older and so are our cars, on Sunday, September 1st we will allow 1974 and earlier cars to enter the event as One Day Entries. They will park in the Daiichi parking lot, but they will be allowed to cruise the entire events as all other entries do.
