COVID 19   VERSUS   THE BOW-TIE

Hi Bowties,

As this is SAD NEWS in relation to the National Chevrolet Festival we feel once again we should identify ourselves to you, the National Festival Committee Members are;

 Craig O’ Donohue,      David Shaw,      Ron Baker,                                                                                                                     Michael Johnson,     Ian Cole,    Patrick Prusakowski.

And let’s not forget Peter Mantel who we are sure attended every meeting

Over the last two and a half years we have formed a cohesive and well run

Committee and also formed long-term friendships as well.

We thought we had beaten Covid 19 by rescheduling the festival from 2020 to 2021 and were on the money and then came the Delta Variant and the rules changed  

SO, BOWTIES IT IS WITH A HEAVY HEART THAT WE HAVE TO INFORM YOU THAT THE 2020/21 NATIONAL CHEVROLET FESTIVAL IS CANCELLED AND DUE TO THE ONGOING RISK OF COVID VARIENTS WE CANNOT SIMPLY RESCHEDULE IT MUST BE CANCELLED OUTRIGHT.  PLEASE ALSO KEEP IN MIND IT IS ALL VERY WELL TO ATTEND BUT GETTING BACK HOME AFTERWARDS COULD BE A MAJOR PROBLEM…….IF THEY CAN CALL A LOCKDOWN WITH 4 HOURS  NOTICE!!!

For the record it would have been a cracker of an event and if you read all the

Bow-Tie articles or checked the web all those things mentioned were real.

I know of no other Show and Shine that has a Paddle Steamer moored out front, We were going to.

What about the fact you could get a coffee or even a full breakfast before a run,

We arranged this

And boy were the ladies in for some fun with the local CWA hosting a get together

I could go on but I am sure you get the picture we covered all the bases.

As far as numbers go Victorian Members should be proud as we made up 54 per cent of the total numbers which have been listed elsewhere but here are the majors again……

112 Entrants  –  61 from Vic,  20 from NSW, and the other states making up the balance.

We are talking well over 200 people plus many locals.

As late as Tuesday the 10^th we were receiving Entries!!!……So Sad.

Several entrant numbers were used to evaluate the various Festival budget positions and we exceeded these and would have been in a strong financial position had the Festival been run.

If you are wondering why now ????  Why not wait????

The answer is simple ……

Wednesday 11^th August was the deadline for major financial commitments that once made could not be cancelled…..think trophies and apparel for starters

In relation to Entrant fees etc Craig will automatically contact you and arrange your refund so take a breath it will automatically happen without your input.

ALL IS NOT LOST…..

We are on the cusp of the cut-off date for the August Bow-Tie we needed to get this information out to you, but we ask you, Please…….. do not rush in and cancel your accommodation just yet.

Spare a thought for the Yarrawonga / Mulwala businesses who have been so accommodating to this Committee and are being crushed by these lockdowns     in these times they still need our support so Bowties why not Step Up and treat yourself to a weekend away when things settle down…. After all, you have already paid the deposit. It is an easy thing to change your booking to a date that fits in with you plans.

Once the Festival cancellation is sorted, we may even organise a CCCV Club run up there so please reconsider that snap refund.

The Festival Committee would also like to acknowledge and thank the following people who agreed to sponsor the Festival;

Festival sponsor – RACV

Trophy sponsors –

• Invisible Car Bras (James Pierce),
• Chris O’Shea Motor Trimming,
• Pro Steer Down Under (John Smith),
• Enterprize Automotive (David Keeley),
• PCB Automotive,
• Temple Body Works
• Maguires.

It is also very pleasing to note that four of the Sponsors were Club Members and all the above Festival Sponsors warrant your interaction if your Chevrolet requires attention in their field of business

Finally (and at this early stage in the cycle) NSW will host the next National Chevrolet Festival hopefully sometime in 2022.

Please stay healthy and get the jab

Ian for the Festival Committee

           JULY 21      SIGNPOST 6       NATIONAL CHEVROLET FESTIVAL

Once again “GOODAY “to all BOWTIES and we hope you are weathering this latest Covid flareup in good spirits and are unaffected by it.

As I write this I look back to the time (very first of the Baby Boomers) when as a child our mothers wiped our faces with spit on a hankey and now its antibacterial wipes for everything.

Our 44^th Festival is being celebrated towards the end of October so we are confidant all will be well and the wipes can be safely put away by then.

When we launched the Signpost series, we likened it to driving down the Highway where you would see various Signposts with information for you to read (carefully) to make your journey safer, better and more informed.

The road itself has hills, turns, roadworks and sometimes Traffic Lights.

Our Festival is a bit like that with even a 12-month PIT STOP thrown in for good measure but

we are now in the main straight and it’s a good piece of road from here to Yarrawonga.

Now I can’t resist flogging the dead horse as they say however there is some GOOD NEWS!!

The RSL have indicated that some spaces are still available so if as yet you have not finalised accommodation, we suggest you try first with the RSL and their details (along with most other Accommodation details in Yarrawonga / Mulwala) are located on the Club Website.

Entries for the Festival have picked up momentum and I can assure you the Festival Committee is very happy with the progress being made and it gives us all that extra lift in our step.

We would also encourage those that have not entered to please do….., so we can keep our Festival Support Venues up to date on numbers which in turn means we get better outcomes at these Venues for you when we arrive in numbers.

A big mention has to be given to the Country Women’s Association who are hosting a very special “High Tea” which will be held after the SKI Club lunch on Saturday so girls put yourself down for this ……why should the Boys have all the fun.

It will be 50’s Music Based, if you are game come in period clothes (prizes given) a Fashion Show will be held, expect lots of laughs, refreshments to be enjoyed and some “Secret Woman’s Business” as only a Country CWA could provide and remember girls you are a long way from home so you can let your hair down a bit and have some fun.

Why not get the Boys to drop you off on the way to the Indian Bike Collection or have a quick look at the bikes then head back and join in with the CWA……merriment assured and there are more chairs here than at the bikes…. extra bonus.

Let’s jump back to the very Start of the Festival ……when you arrive and sign in you will be given a Festival Bag which includes Lanyards and it goes without saying wear the Lanyard when on Festival Runs.

This Committee is Top Notch but we will struggle on Face Recognition for over 250 Faces (no problem with the Chevrolets just the faces) so please cut us some slack and wear the Lanyard

Also, in the Festival Bag will be an updated Festival Program which we ask the Chevrolet Enthusiasts to treat as a Service Manual as all will be revealed…… even that miss in the left bank of the V8 which is causing you some concern.

Back to the Ladies please don’t worry if the Boys start to morph into loose groups and commence talking Cars and parts at the SHOW and SHINE.

Have a wander over and check out the Sunday Market then take a cruise on the Paddle Steamer moored for your convenience right at the water’s edge just in front of the Cars.

We are definitely smoothly running down the main straight now and are going to have a great

time together at the various Venues booked and we will explore these in later Signposts of

which Brothers and Sisters there will only be…. three more editions.

This is a very   SCARY MILESTONE   so BOWTIES    DON,T LEAVE YOUR ENTRY TILL THE VERY LAST MINUTE BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT YOU TO MISS OUT ON YARRAWONGA !!

Ian for the Festival Committee which consists of Craig, David, Ron, Patrick, Michael and myself