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Time to read 9 min
There is never a bad time to meet up with a bunch of friends and enjoy something that is not only a common interest but also a passion that only you and this group can share through a unique fellowship. There are a number of examples in our world when people from all walks of life can come together to strengthen a bond between their individual hopes, dreams, and visions and see how they can individually grow and achieve happiness through something tangible and physical. Any true enthusiast will confirm that bonding through any form or genre of art, music, or sport is a very emotional, and, though some may argue, a very spiritual experience. The foundation of an individual who pursues a subject with so much focus and joy can only be understood if we accept the power behind this way of life and how much energy is created from activities based in its spirit. Basically, as defined in modern culture, enthusiasm is not just a happy feeling or a positive distraction that helps you get through the day.
By psychological definition, an enthusiast experiences intense enjoyment or interest for something outside themself to enhance their life and inner being. Witnessing a group of enthusiasts gathered together will confirm their playful energy, their creative and inventive spirit, their optimistic view towards new ideas, and their overall zest for life within their unique community. Some from the outside looking in may label those with this personality as obsessive or somewhat eccentric, but the importance and power behind being a true enthusiast can only be confirmed by the word's Greek origin which alludes to someone being divinely inspired by a higher power. This should explain why large events filled with enthusiasts can be inspiring, encouraging, and, to some degree, life changing to those who give themselves to their passions.
Over 15 years ago, SubieEvents, LLC , launched their organization to support and drive the amazing spirit that fuels the Subaru enthusiast's tribe by creating a number of events where enthusiasm can flourish, creativity and expression can thrive, and all levels of performance can be exhibited freely to further expand the community. Subie Events brings six events into 2024 which include Wicked Big Meet, Subiefest California, Boxerfest, Subiefest Midwest, Subiefest Florida, and Subiefest Texas wrapping up the season in Dallas. On June 2nd , the first of these events, Wicked Big Meet , came to Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut beginning the foundation and another level of community growth, inspiration and excitement which grew before the eyes of everyone in attendance further solidifying through its energy what is to come in the near future. Whether you consider yourself a newcomer to the Subaru community, a seasoned veteran enthusiast, or even a professional motorsports practitioner, entering an annual event like Wicked Big Meet should raise your heartbeat and heighten your anticipation.
For the true Subaru enthusiast, this is not a typical car show or event highlighting products, celebrity, or sport. It is a time for fellowship, camaraderie, creative collaboration, and relationship building as the Subaru tribe is a unique and dedicated community unlike any in the automotive world. Wicked Big Meet was created to bring the Subaru community together to share their vision, proudly exhibit their accomplishments and victories, openly display affection for their beloved vehicles, and make lasting memories with new and old friends because of the community they share. Unlike other brand-centric events, Wicked Big Meet is the first sampling of an event series which shows the world how a sea of dedicated Subaru owners can exist in harmony for one-day to dream, learn, be inspired by others who share the same passion for Subaru .
A spirit of excitement begins to grow at Subimods this time of year since we have the opportunity to host a Pre-Meet event at our headquarters in Bloomfield, Connecticut one day before the Wicked Big Meet main event. It is prime time for us to gather with Subaru enthusiasts from our region and beyond, while also having an opportunity to appreciate what accomplishments come from the community. The Pre-Meet serves as a great opportunity for enthusiasts to come together in a more intimate setting and get excited about the upcoming show. We open our facility to those individuals who may be familiar with what we do through our online presence each day, but didn't realize that we have a showroom and a staff of experts who are anxious to engage with other enthusiasts with a helping hand of advice and assistance. Our parking area is filled with assorted Subaru models coming from every level of modification and performance you can imagine. Most importantly, this year's Pre-Meet event proved to be a historic first in many areas. Unlike years before, we were honored to have many product vendors present allowing those in attendance to mix, mingle, and share their experiences with multiple layers of industry expertise and knowledge of the Subaru aftermarket.
We were also thrilled to have professional driver, influencer, and face of Subaru motorsports, Bucky Lasek at the event to raise the level of excitement within the community and be an encouraging presence to those who are working individually on their own dreams and creative visions. Bucky spent the day weaving through the event, talking to drivers about their builds, and doing his best to encourage and build brand spirit. The Subimods team was also proud to host the largest raffle in our history to support the research and treatment of a cause that is truly close to our hearts, Cystic Fibrosis, a progressive, genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. This disease affects close to 40,000 children and adults living in the United States alone, but over 100,000 people have been diagnosed in almost 100 countries. We were thrilled that the results of this auction allowed us to donate $5,000 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation . This Pre-Meet flowed seamlessly as the great team a Remark stepped up providing food, while the photography crew at Ignition Speed and Subimods Media Team were on the ground documenting the event from start to finish. As always, the hard-working Subimods team was out at full strength keeping all the wheels turning and getting people excited for the main event on Sunday .
As the calendar flips we watch our team's excitement and anticipation grow here at Subimods. Another Subaru event season has begun with our team and its energy at the center of the activity. Sunday, June 2nd arrived with more electricity than ever because of a successful and dynamic Pre-Meet which primed the faithful for a day filled with power, legacy, beauty, and chatter all related to the brand called Subaru. This year's Wicked Big Meet was a melting pot of stunning modifications, high performance prowess, and cherished vintage style proving that the world's largest gathering of Subaru lovers was the place to be whether you own a WRX or a Forester . As expected, the 2024 WBM brought thousands of Subaru enthusiasts from across the nation and the world into the historic New England hamlet of Stafford, CT - aligning both the most green-eyed novice and the gritty veteran with each other via it's impressive Car Show, thrilling AutoCross events, and wide choice of vendor offerings. This event has grown rapidly since its humble beginnings in a parking lot in 2005. Almost twenty years ago, the idea of this event brimming with over 8,000 attendees, a roster of top-tier vendor support along with iconic names like Pastrana and Lasek would have read like an epic fantasy novel. Who would have thought we would be here? The answer is clear to the Subaru community and those who walked the grounds of Wicked Big Meet this year.
As usual, the Subimods team hammered our stakes in the ground with an innovative and more fluid method of engaging and welcoming visitors and faithful customers to our home inside the event. We were able to introduce a new experience to attendees this year by offering an open booth design which allowed customers to explore, shop, examine, and purchase products within a “department store experience”. Our team was able to meet and greet new and old customers as they entered the store helping them to browse and select apparel items at a relaxed, more comfortable pace. We also sponsored the annual car show and were able to give away over $2,500 worth of gift cards to winners in each class and category. Also, to align with our focus on education, community building, and the promotion of safe, quality modifications, we gratefully contributed time to the Wicked Big Meet Learning Center , which is always a successful, rewarding experience for our team of experts. It is thrilling for us to watch the audience grow as the sessions progress - witnessing the seating fill to capacity, look at the perimeter widen and become deeper as the subject matter deepens, and happily see the lines get longer for one-on-one consultation after the closing comments. All shows that we are serving our customers with quality and genuine engagement. Our biggest payment comes from building new relationships and bringing new members into the tribe.
We are now moving into a year of events that takes us through the summer and fall while bringing us to a number of our favorite locations. As we leave the grounds of Wicked Big Meet each year we feel as if we have run a great race. Tired but satisfied because of the accomplishment and the victories over each challenge we have faced. Wicked Big Meet is just one of many opportunities to connect both with our existing customers and new enthusiasts who need to be directed appropriately to ensure their dreams of success and creative vision come true. A new year of events has begun and we are excited to get on the road to do it all again. We look forward to meeting many more members of the tribe in the months to come. As we enter the last full month of summer, the West Coast calls the tribe to Subiefest California at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia on August 4th , which should prove to be one of the most exciting and fun-filled events of 2024. Returning back to the Mid Atlantic region at the middle of that month, our team will land in familiar territory on August 18th for Boxerfest at the Fairgrounds in York, PA .
We'll head out to Joliet, IL for another Subaru enthusiast's extravaganza as the Route 66 Raceway hosts Subiefest Midwest on September 8th . Just in time to beat the chill of the incoming New England fall season, the Subimods crew will head to Daytona International Speedway to meet up with more of the Subaru community at Subiefest Florida on October 5th . A couple of weeks later, we will ride into the biggest state in the union to close out the year of events at Subiefest Texas at Lone Star Park in Dallas on October 19th . As always, these events promise to deliver more amazing experiences, build exciting memories, and, most importantly, connect us with new friends and community members we need to know better.
We are always amazed at how quickly the Subaru community has grown and how its members continued to become more creative, inventive, and truly inspired by their world of excitement and hunger for performance. No matter who we meet at events, whether it be Wicked Big Meet, at one of the Subiefest events across the nation, or at our local track on a random weekend, we are always encouraged to work harder to build upon an already rabid enthusiasm that keeps our team moving forward and thinking differently. We'll see you all in California.
Please check out our recent videos from both the 2024 Pre-Meet hosted by Subimods and at the 2024 Wicked Big Meet at Stafford Motor Speedway and learn more about what was happening during the first weekend in June. To learn more about Subiefest California, Boxerfest, Subiefest Midwest, Subiefest Florida , and/or Subiefest Texas , go to the Subie Events website at https://www.subieevents.com to learn about each event and find more details regarding your possible attendance.
Bryon Turcotte - Marketing Writer/Analyst
Turcotte has worked as a writer, journalist, and digital content developer for 30 years. He began his career in music journalism in 1995 then worked for several years as both a staff writer, managing editor, and a freelancer for both regional and national music publications. Over the next three decades his contributions extended beyond the music industry as he served within the realms of higher education, science and technology, manufacturing, and finance. He has been serving as a content developer and writer on the Subimods Marketing team since August 2023.
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