How about taking good quality digital photos of the exhibits and then
producting a small run of calendars featuring the top winning exhibits?
Give calendars to the exhibitors and vendors, and sell them (in advance)
to the general public.
Perhaps even publish a coffee table book with exceptional photography
and some text on the restoration, historical context, or other info on each
featured system.
That would be a fun project to work on, and might even be a better way
to grade different restorations as well.
Some people would love to have the machines, but only have room for the
book. Hopefully this could grease the wheels a little.