Wide Open Wisconsin show
- Thread starter euphoric1
- Start date
wiharley02
Active member
Friday with my girls right after they get off the bus. Momma might come too, we'll see. Don't really need anything, but it's become a tradition to go on Friday to get in the mood and hit up a fish fry on the way home these are my old stomping grounds Dodge & Washington Counties.
the show seems to be continuing to grow, along with the attendance, was a good show, swap area was huge this year and yes was nice to see Cat's presence there but don't understand why the other manufacturers weren't there. Vintage show was cool too, was a lot of sleds! pretty neat!
Good to hear! Hope the weather wasn't as bad as they first forecasted on Friday. Last year some rain came through around 4, and cleared a lot of people out. It then rained overnight and had to cancel the grass drags on Sunday. Polaris was there last year, the only mfg. Last year's show seemed to be down a little attendance wise compared to the year before. Just probably due to such a bad winter, people didn't need much. Maybe lower attendance caused Polaris to not come this year?? Not certain.. There seemed to be more vendors listed this year though.
I will say in the past few years the show seems to be growing, the swap area this year was pretty impressive, it is also a very well attended show. Would be nice to see a little more presence from the manufacturers themselves there. Cat was there but booth really lacked luster and seemed to just be tucked in the corner. Was nice to see them there but would have expected to see a "here we are, the Cat is here to stay" caliber booth. Way different than the days when the Milwaukee show was worth attending. The industry as a whole is facing drastic challenges and downturns but lack of manufacturer presence at the only real show in the area, a show where 98% of it is aimed directly at the sport and activities that attract riders and families alike boggles the mind especially with the great financing deals being offered and amount of inventory in the field, most people wont seek it out, especially people who may be new to the sport or teetering on upgrading or re entering, when you can put it in front of their face its a completely different outcome. There may not be what everyone is looking for there but the show is definitely growing and there is plenty to see no matter what aspect of the sport one may be interested in.
My wife and I went as well. Got there about eleven Saturday. It's nearly a 4 hour drive for us and have never been to either wide open Wisconsin or any older Milwaukee show. Overall we were happy we went. She got a pair of Klim bibs on sale and both of us bought some doo accessories 20% off from hexco, but like Indy said, I wished they had more. I was impressed overall with the vendors they have, and it's nice that most are inside. It seemed the swap section lacked buyers, not sure if that was my imagination or not. I wish Wausau Trailmates swap meet would be half as good for vendors as Wide Open Wisconsin was. Their swap section had more than ever before this year then I have seen in the last 15.