Here we go, folks! Can you believe that yesterday marked exactly ONE MONTH until Carlisle 2017? This year is going to be so badass, and I can't wait to tell you old fuddy duds and newbies alike what to look forward to this year!
I'll cut straight to the chase!
THURSDAY:
Folks start arriving at the hotels Thursday night. There aren't any official dinner plans (@SpikeDog08 and I usually find a brewery to drain for the evening!) In recent years, we've had a decent collection of people hanging out in the Quality Inn Parking lot in New Cumberland on Thursday evening, kinda pre-gaming for the start of the show! If you're staying at the Holiday Inn Express in New Cumberland, you'll find that you can literally cross the street and be at the Quality Inn. We usually drive one car over just to save carrying the cooler & folding chairs.
FRIDAY:
Carlisle Begins!!! Gates open I think by 7am if not earlier - with a 4-year old in the family, we don't get there quite as early as we used to, but usually by 9. If you didn't purchase the "Gate N Go" tickets, you'll need to probably stop at the Gate 3 entrance at the fairgrounds to get your window sticker. Our club has a tent reserved, and it is generally always in the E-body area of the fairgrounds. When you enter from Gate 3, stay straight and drive past the car wash area on the left. There is a 4-way stop just ahead. Drive straight through, and look towards your right - we're usually 1 lane over in that area. The road ahead curves right, and then take the first lane on your right. This is the USUAL direction to head, but if you get lost or the tent is in an unusual spot, most of the Carlisle Events staff can point you in the right direction. Dave and Cody should have signs up on the tent fairly early in the morning to help people see where we're at. You can park near the tent to unload chairs/coolers/etc which you can leave at the tent all day. Carlisle Events would however appreciate it if you park your car in the designated area for your vehicle, and if you don't they might ask you to move - just a head's up.
Now, this is important: if you're going to our Decade of Carlisle Dinner, be at the tent at 10am on Friday for a special announcement, revealing the location of our venue!! If you don't make it there by 10, we'll have flyers at the tent for the rest of the day with information that you can grab and take with you.
Friday lunch is free-for-all. The dinner event starts at 7:30, and it's in Hershey, Pennsylvania. That's a decent drive from the fairgrounds (but trust me - it'll be worth it) so give yourself time, especially if you want to stop at your hotel and shower. It's too soon to know what the weather will be doing. After the dinner, if anyone is still up for it, we'll congregate back at hotel until the last person passes out.
SATURDAY:
Day 2!! Saturday LUNCH is provided by myself and
@Oh10Challenger! No cost! This year we're having chicken cheesesteaks (I've been practicing!) with some various sides. Feel free to bring some sodas and/or chips if you'd like, but that's entirely up to you. I will also have a new beer from ViperDen Brewery! (My home-based brewery, that is!) It's theme is tied in with our "Decade of Carlisle" event! We usually bring a corny keg of beer that people can enjoy as they'd like Saturday, but I'll also be bringing some beer bottles with commemorative labels which I'll be selling for $3 a piece. A lot of our members have ViperDen Brewery beer bottles in their homes and garages!
Saturday DINNER will be held in the Quality Inn parking lot, and will be pizza provided by
@MEK-Dangerous!! For most folks, this is the last hurrah of the weekend, so we usually just sit up all night laughing, telling stories, joking, and recounting our experiences from the show! It is by far my favorite time of the entire weekend.
You certainly don't have to be staying at any of the hotels around us to come join us or hang out, any evening!SUNDAY:
Most people, ourselves included, head home Sunday morning. It's always a sad time for me.
The tent will be there Sunday for anyone sticking around, though note that people don't usually pay as strict attention to parking areas or tent-ownership, so you might find yourself sharing it with some other people.
That's the general details - here's some other useful information:
In case you're not staying there, here's the address of the Quality Inn in New Cumberland:
175 Beacon Hill Blvd, New Cumberland, PA.
From Carlisle, it's actually very convenient to take the turnpike, and I believe it's an 11-mile drive to the New Cumberland exit. There is a toll, and I think it was $1.50 or something like that. Off the turnpike, go NORTH on I-83, but immediately take the next exit (you never actually merge onto the highway.) Turn left at the light, a quick left onto Beacon Hill, and you'll see it on your left.
Gate 3 at the fairgrounds is located off of Carlisle Springs Road, off of Route 11. If you come off the turnpike, or off of I-81, or just take Route 11 all the way in from Harrisburg, you can turn right onto Clay street or Carlisle Springs road. These roads meet at what USED to be an old dealership on the fairgrounds, but from the signage we saw last year, might be a brewery this year (oh darn - how will we ever survive...) Anyways, head up Carlisle Springs another quarter mile and trust me - you won't miss where to turn right at to enter the fairgrounds.
"A Decade of Carlisle" is taking place in Hershey, PA. It is within a mile of Hershey Park. According to Google Maps, it's a 44-minute drive from the fairgrounds. PLEASE take this into consideration while at the dinner - we don't want anyone getting DUI's on the way home!!!
I've always been something of the unofficial "Carlisle Events Coordinator", so if you have any other questions or are looking for various stores in the area or are confused/curious about anything, don't hesitate to send me a private message. Also, if you'd like my cell number to make sure you don't get lost/left behind/what-not, PM me and I'll send it to you!
I'll probably think of other things but for now, that's it!
This year is going to be a lot of fun - can't wait to see you there!!
