VENDORS AZ VENDORS AZ - Carlisle Events

GUEST PROFILE
Fall Carlisle annually showcases a wide array of parts
and accessories for the automotive enthusiast.
Whether you are looking for a fender, headlight, wheel,
wiper linkage or decommissioned traffi c light for the
basement, you’ve found a venue that has it all and then
some. It’s often said that if you can’t fi nd what you are
looking for at Carlisle, you didn’t look hard enough. As
looking goes, there is just as much of an international
audience at Fall Carlisle as there is a domestic one, and
while the international visitors don’t necessarily stand
out like the parts on a vending table, they are here.
From all corners of the globe, show-goers converge on
the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds to fi nd a car in the car corral,
browse the swap meet or bid at the auction just like
many local and regional attendees who make Carlisle an
annual pilgrimage.
One such visitor is Charles Barnett. Charles annually
comes to Carlisle from over the pond, specifi cally
Queensbury, Yorkshire, England (between the towns
of Bradford and Halifax). Charles has been coming to
Carlisle for, according to him, “almost 10 years.” Not
only does Charles come to Carlisle for Fall Carlisle, but
he makes the trip for Spring Carlisle too. Each year,
about two days before the start of the event, he drives
his Vauxhall Vectra wagon the 40 miles from his home
to the Manchester airport, fl ies direct and lands stateside
in Philadelphia. After he picks up his rental car, his
journey to Carlisle really beings.
When asked why Carlisle and why twice a year from
England, Charles says that it’s because of the “great
variety of toys, models and literature items that interest
me, plus the chance to check out all the full-size
cars that I love to see." Charles added that, “Carlisle has
such a unique and wonderful atmosphere, and I can
22 2012 FALL CARLISLE CarlisleEvents.com
renew friendships and meet old acquaintances again,
as well as make new buddies every time. Of course,
there's always a chance of a great deal.”
Charles is no James Bond or Austin Powers, but he
recently retired from the British Government Service
and is now able to concentrate on his passions of
dealing in and writing about model cars in his homeland.
In addition to attending the events themselves,
Charles loves exploring and traveling the United
States, especially to other car and toy shows. Charles
also revels in the opportunity to visit antique stores
and malls along the way. This year, he aims to get a few
days of relaxation at his favorite spot, Virginia Beach,
but maintains that “whenever there's a car show and
the weather is good, nothing beats Carlisle.”
Charles is back this weekend, enjoying Fall Carlisle
once more. He’s walking the grounds just like you and
is in search of that perfect deal either for one of his
many keen customers or better still, to keep as a souvenir
of the trip — a keepsake of sorts that he can treasure
forever. The next question is, will he fi nd something
that he can slide into his bag and take home
with him to the United Kingdom or will he have to pay
a checked bag fee?
So the next time you walk the grounds at Carlisle,
know that it’s not just you and your fellow Americans
looking for a deal. You might have to contend with a
car corral shopper from Brazil, a model and literature
enthusiast from England or an auction bidder from
France. Carlisle provides an international fl avor at not
only the Import & Kit Nationals, but also during many,
if not all, of the events on the schedule. It just so happens
that during this time of year the customs offi ce
gets many visits from the car community!