Years ago there were a few regional gatherings that took place.  No idea how well they were attended as they were never close enough for me to get to easily.  That being said, there's no reason why a regional gathering still couldn't be pulled together by folks.  All someone would need to do is throw any idea out there for a time and place and see what the response would be.

Yea

there definitely should be gatherings. One location I saw is in Yorktown heights New York and that’s not far from me. Would like to meet all the cool members 

I'd be down for the regional gathering theory. I'd even offer up to host the LukesVette BBQ again. It's been a while but still love this crew!

Fantastic idea!!

Nay

I realise I'm a bit late to this particular party, but I thought I ought to explain my vote.

I voted "nay", simply because I'm in France!  Just a bit too far to come for a Members Gathering.  

But on principle, I like the idea.  Back when we travelled regularly to the US it was fun to meet people who I had corresponded with on various forums, club websites etc, and I'm guessing that's the same for you guys here.  But, I can see the problem of organising something that few can, or want to attend.   

I can see merit in combining a members event into another one, like FunFest, but also in "local" events.   Many years ago, when I was back in the UK, the club there suffered from a lack of activity.  I set up the second only "Regional" group in '93 and over the years, that has proved to be the way to go and the club has flourished as a result.  

It is slightly different for an on-line community, but it may be worth looking at?

Looking in from afar, I have in the past envied those of you who have been able to get together, so I hope that you can arrange something in the future.

I have never attended one, but certainly would if the circumstances were right!  I understand the effort to put together an event like this and I likewise understand the lack of support from the community!  People are busy, travel is expensive, driving a 50 year old car to an event also have its challenges!  

Our Forum joins us together and our interest and love of the C3 Corvettes brings us a common bond!  The forums and interesting and helpful information also aid and expand our members bond in this hobby!  

I am a member of the C3 and C4 communities and really appreciate and value the forums and comradely.  But many working members may be constrained when trying to attend an annual gathering at a distant location.  Likewise older retired folks may have financial or health issues that make it hard to attend!  

We own a Polaris Slingshot also and they have a number of gathering events across the USA and we make the annual SSITS slingshots in the Smokies.  This event draws 300-400 vehicles annually, but the slingshot is a newer vehicle and the owners are generally younger and part of a more adventurist motorcycle group.  SSITS is a 5 day event with vendors and rides and dinners and dancing and quite an undertaking!  

Our Restoration Corvette enthusiasts are probably not the same group generally and the SSITS has a group of people that sell products and promote businesses related to the slingshots!  The resources of the organization have a profit motivation and therefore can dedicate a lot of resources to the events! Like many things $$$ drives things.  It is a great event but it is driven by $$$$.

Bringing vendors in and getting vendor incentives and creating the $$$ profit motivation is a little harder with the restorer Corvette crowd.  That might be an option for you to consider.  Vendors and others might be able to help organize and promote the events more and help make $$$ drive the events.  

Anyway, I think having a C3 gathering and promoting the event is a worthwhile endeavor, but you and your resources are the ones that need to determine if the effort is worth the results!   

nay

Right now, I can see the hesitation in folks not wanting to go to a Gathering with the high costs of travel these days. The reliability of our old cars also makes it difficult. But many of us attend the Gatherings without our C3's, as many have stated it's the people not the cars as the reason to gather. Obviously, it's much simpler and less costly to attend a gathering in your region for many reasons so that makes a case for the "regional" gathering. Several years ago, we had what was called an "Alternate Gathering" in our PA, NJ, MD, NY area due to the Gathering being held on the west coast and it worked quite well. I don't know how it would be handled in individual areas. We are lucky in our area that we have a long standing "group" from C3VR that get together often which certainly makes it easier to accomplish. You have to take into consideration the area of the country to have a Gathering due to population density, certainly in the east a Gathering would be more likely tom be attended than others. So, I guess what I'm really trying to say is the idea of a regional thing is the way to go. Just my 2 cents.

YEA.