Welcome to LEAD EAST 2008, an Oldies Music and Old Car Weekend unlike any event held anywhere. This is the 26th year for this cherished event. Over the years we've delivered a 100% American, 100% Family, 100% Fun series of events that celebrates the 50's decade. Tens of thousands of people have come to our event and many have told us it is the best, most fun, most nostalgic event they have ever attended! LEAD EAST is for 1972 and earlier vehicles — but it's not just a car show!
LEAD EAST is a giant 50's PARTY, offering more unique events than 15 normal car shows added together. If you dig the good old days of greased hair, tail fins, and 50's rock n' roll, have we got a PARTY for your entire family! Join us to relive and revisit the best decade in history. We GUARANTEE there is no other event remotely like this on the planet.
LEAD EAST is renowned and unchallenged as THE BEST Oldies Nostalgia weekend anywhere! We offer an indoor and outdoor, day and night lineup of non-stop activities unmatched anywhere — Sock Hops, Drive-In Movies, Cruising, Jitterbug and Swing Dancing, Doo Wop A Cappella, Prom Night, and MORE!
THE CARS The word LEAD is a synonym for "customized car." We fill three adjacent parking lots with 1,500 classic 1972 and earlier cars, customs, lowriders, and street rods. Many are for sale. In 2007 it drew 1,500 cars from 22 states, as far as Canada, Florida and Wisconsin, 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 than any other event on the planet. This event was created 26 years ago 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.
We'd love to see your car at LEAD EAST 2008! You can register your car at the show or pre-register in advance.
1976 and EARLIER CARS ON SUNDAY While LEAD EAST is restricted to 1972 and earlier cars to keep it a true "oldies" event, because we all are getting older and so are our cars, as an EXPERIMENT, on Sunday August 31st ONLY, we will allow 1976 and earlier cars to enter the event as One Day Entries. They will park in the Deloite & Touche lot, but they will be allowed to cruise the entire event as all other entries can do. The response and turnout of these cars may influence car vintage restrictions at future LEAD EASTs.
THE VENUE If you want to stay at the host hotel, The Parsippany NJ Hilton and Hampton Inn (two adjoining hotels in the center of the event), we suggest you make your reservation NOW because as of September 2007, the 2008 event host hotels are already more than 2/3 sold out! A four-night minimum stay is required. We hold the event at a first class Hilton Hotel with many air-conditioned indoor activities and exhibits, plus clean first class indoor rest rooms. Outdoors, the cars and exhibits are on clean asphalt with grassy areas to set up your picnic chairs, etc. Mercury vapor lamps illuminate the car areas at night so you're never in the dark. If it should rain, there is no mud as all cars park on paved asphalt. The optimum way to enjoy LEAD EAST is to stay four nights at the Parsippany Hilton / Hampton Inn where the party happens, but surrounding hotels are also available.
Food ranges from several restaurants and vendors inside the hotel to outdoor food vendors with a nice array of reasonably priced items. Many participants with old cars bring their own food and BBQ grills for the parking lot. The Hilton sells alcoholic beverages and beer in the hotel. Note: The police will not permit people riding in old cars inside the event to have an open container of alcohol!
THE MUSIC In addition to playing recorded oldies and live Doo Wop over the P.A. system in the hotel parking lot, we have an outdoor stage for bands Friday night through Sunday, an indoor stage in the hotel ballroom providing live entertainment from Thursday night though Sunday night, and a third stage in the Hotel Lobby Atrium area for Open Mike opportunities, plus 60's Karaoke from 4:00 PM Friday to 4:00 PM Sunday.
We also offer a Prom Sunday night with a live band. More than 14 Doo Wop A Cappella Groups will be singing 5-part harmony in the Hotel Ballroom Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and three Oldies Concerts Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night feature name groups with hit records from the 1950's and early 60's.
If that's not enough, we offer live bands for a Welcome Party Thursday night, two Sock Hops with bands operating simultaneously Friday night, and bands onstage outdoors Saturday and Sunday afternoon! No other event we've ever seen has spontaneous Doo Wop groups singing a capella into the early hours in the bar or hotel lobby!
