Z3 HomeComing 1997

Friday

Background
The first HomeComing barely had a schedule or a name. Half the people that came called it a Reunion and the other half called it a HomeComing. We all called it fun! It had a certain magic that none of the other events have ever had again. Some people traveled great distance for an event that was almost unheard of. It was the first HomeComing.

The Z3 Message Board folk gathered at the Marriott hotel instead of the planned Hyatt hotel in downtown Greenville.

The Message Board kicked around the idea of getting together to meet before the event to better share the time and our passion, beer and Z3s. Keith and Debi Wertman headed up the challenge of finding a restaurant for the event. They picked the Big River Brew Pub in Greenville. The restaurant graciously reserved a portion of their parking lot for the Z3s and provided each enthusiast first beer free of charge.

The group gathered some 36 people in all at the pub and enjoyed a great meal and conversation. Road Upstate gathered over $1,200 worth of prizes; including a leather Roadster jacket, Roadster sunglasses, floor mats, models and tons of other goodies. Many vendors were anxious to participate including, Quality Imports, Century BMW, Hancock BMW, HMS, the Zentrum, M&M Marketing and adidas America. Quality Imports, who was at the time hosting the message board, graciously donated the leather Roadster jacket and Roadster sunglasses.

People continued to join the party as the night progressed. Someone had the forethought to leave information back at the Marriott for any Z3 latecomers. A total of 22 cars in all joined the party that night, not bad when you figure that only 150 cars came for the Saturday festivities.

The Z3 Message Board dinner was a great success. It never received any advertising or promotion and was entirely the result of tremendous planning via that darn Internet.

With the dinner over and the introductions behind us, what could be in store for Saturday? This was certain to be a great weekend. Also, Kathy, seen above in the tank top, we would find later in the weekend, was given the very 1st Z3 enthusiast of the year award. Kathy, found out about the event via the Internet and drove by herself a majority of the way from California.

Saturday

Sunday