I’ve been producing events since the early 1990s—in many different roles and across a wide range of productions. One of the most important has been the family-friendly classic and hobby car event Big Wheels – The Summer Meet in Pieksämäki, which has been part of my life since 2002.
Over the years, Big Wheels has grown into a large and distinctive event of its own: 1,500 classic cars, kustoms, hot rods, trucks and other special vehicles and 18,000 visitors. It has earned a permanent place on the calendars of both car enthusiasts and people in the Pieksämäki region.
In recent years, we’ve also taken the Big Wheels brand into winter by organizing Big Wheels – The Winter Show, an American car exhibition at the Jyväskylä Paviljonki.
The new wintertime concept has received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from participants. However, with attendance leveling off at around 5,000 visitors over two years, the event hasn’t yet found its audience in the same way as the summer meet.
Continuing is possible—but not yet certain. With the current visitor numbers, it’s not feasible to build a high-quality, visually polished exhibition at the level we aim for.
Still, we believe the winter show’s story is only just beginning. Even though attendance targets haven’t been met, there clearly seems to be demand for the event. We’ve invested a great deal in developing and piloting the December exhibition concept. It would be genuinely interesting to see how an American car show during the darkest time of the year could evolve and find its own audience.
What have we learned from all this?
One thing has become increasingly clear over the years:
The best events aren’t created by constantly adding more and trying to offer something for everyone—but by cutting away the unnecessary and focusing on what truly matters.
In the event industry, it’s easy to fall in love with—and get stuck in—your own ideas: packed programs, side events, and extra features. Real progress begins only when you dare to say “no.” When the excess is removed, what remains is the most important thing of all: the customer experience and the emotional impact.
Big Wheels’ summer event, The Summer Meet, has always been built around the idea of being created by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts. Commercial, yes—but without feeling commercial.
When an event is produced in a way that we ourselves would enjoy as customers, the result is a better experience overall. The idea is simple:
Let’s create events we’d want to attend ourselves.
Simplicity Is Not a Lack
Simplicity built on strong fundamentals is a sign of professionalism. If an event concept feels complicated, it’s not finished yet.
The best event experiences rarely come from having more of everything or trying to be everything to everyone. They come from truly understanding your target audience, thinking the core of the event through to the very end—and boldly leaving everything else out.
We also believe in the joy of doing, clear division of responsibilities, and trust. Events can’t be made halfway. The best productions happen when skilled, committed people are allowed to do their jobs—without unnecessary bureaucracy or micromanagement.
And yes—the best ideas and plans don’t emerge as compromises after endless discussions among large organizing committees. They come from someone daring to think differently and being willing to take responsibility for that vision.
Time Is the Most Valuable Resource
The time of both event organizers and participants is limited. It shouldn’t be spent on things that don’t matter.
That’s why it’s worth focusing on doing less—but doing it better. Creating events that deliver real experiences, stay in people’s minds, and still feel good long after they’re over.
As long as we have the opportunity to build Big Wheels – The Summer Meet, and possibly also Big Wheels – The Winter Show, we want to carry this principle with us:
Creating events from enthusiast to enthusiast, from one person to another.
Less—but better. And above all, events we’d want to be part of ourselves—as audience members, participants, or exhibitors.