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Valet Boot Camp

Posted by Columbo
August 9, 2009

Valet-Parking

We don’t really know what the event pictured above is, but while at Safeway we caught the start of an event at the surface parking lot on 5th between K and NY Ave.  It appeared to be a combination BBQ and driving course.  People were taking turns driving a pickup truck down the lot weaving between the yellow cones.  Once they reached the end, they would put the truck in reverse and do it all backwards.

The only sign visible was a tent advertising a valet service, but we didn’t get a chance to talk to anyone so we’re not sure who is hosting the event.  Still the BBQ smelled great and the driving looked like fun.  If we had not already been straining under the weight of our groceries we would have walked over to find out more.  Any of our readers have the scoop?

Related posts:

  1. Valet Parking Blingo
  2. What Is This Valet Reading?
  3. The Ice Cream Man?
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Comments
Comment by washingtonydc on August 9, 2009 @ 2:39 pm

After the pickup cone-weaving, they started a 4 car valet relay race.

I really have no idea what this was beyond perhaps a valet competition…next time they should allow spectators so we can cheer along with them.

Comment by PQ Guy on August 9, 2009 @ 8:58 pm

All right! I thought for a while, due to the lack of posts, that PQLiving was on strike or had gone under.

Comment by Brian Haupricht on August 10, 2009 @ 9:30 am

The National Valet Parking Association is conducting a nationwide Valet Olympics with their 16 member companies. The events you are describing sound like part of that event. Each company conducts its own Olympics to determine their 4 team champion that competes in Scottsdale, AZ in November.

http://www.nvpaonline.com for additional info about the NVPA, its member companies, and the Valet Olympics.

Comment by Brian Haupricht on August 10, 2009 @ 9:31 am

Typo in the previous post. It should read “4 member team”.

Comment by Ryan Kim on August 10, 2009 @ 11:21 am

I am the Director of Recruitment for MarcParc Valet. What you saw was us hosting our 1st Annual Valet Olympics. It was a great success. We had some competition, great food, and some good old fashioned comaraderie. What Brian H. said above, is also true. Our Valet Olympics was run with the NVPA’s own set of standards and events that are being used for the national competition in Arizona in November.

Be sure to check out http://www.bizbash.com for an article about our event!

Comment by Chris V on August 10, 2009 @ 2:23 pm

I also saw this while passing Safeway yesterday and was very confused/intrigued. Highly recommend you have bleachers set up next time with vendors selling BBQ – I totally would’ve watched! Thanks for getting the scoop on this! Best of luck to the DC crews in AZ.

Comment by Columbo on August 10, 2009 @ 8:30 pm

Thanks for that info Ryan & Brian, we always appreciate getting the scoop straight from the source.

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