Canberra strip-joints and brothels say the new "family-friendly" direction of Summernats is slowly killing business in the territory as they continue to solicit inside the festival gates.
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Some businesses ran shuttle services from EPIC to their premises, whilst others had promoters inside the grounds on Saturday to hook punters, all without the approval of Summernats management.
Talia Tate, the owner of strippers-for-hire business Glitterdolls, said the event should be "let loose ... tits out" by allowing the typical behaviour of attendees, which has mired the annual car festival in controversy.
"It should have been left as it was. It brings in more revenue than Floriade," Ms Tate said, adding business had slowly declined over the past few years.
Glitterdolls had workers advertising the business at EPIC despite previously clashing with Summernats management about their more brazen promotions.
"Back in 2014, I had girls getting kicked out left, right, and centre so we did butt heads [with management]," Ms Tate said.
"We did speak about it being more a family event and us taking a step back."
"I think business has gone down over the last few years. Last year [Summernats] was kind of stuck in an identity crisis. It should have been left as it was, it's a major moneymaker for Canberra."
Wanderlust strip-club owner Rulla Tabban said she had a shuttle from Summenats to her club in Mitchell.
"[Summernats management is] not going to like it but all the crowd will like it; half of them end up at the club," Ms Tabban said.
"You cannot take girls away from cars. It's what the boys want, it gives it atmosphere, it gives it fun, there's no harm in having pretty girls there."
Summernats co-owner Andy Lopez said anyone caught promoting the clubs inside EPIC would be removed by security and he distanced the event from Canberra's adult-entertainment business.
"We have no interest in the future of adult business in Canberra, either negatively or positively," Mr Lopez said.
"What we're about is promoting the automotive community ... building business and tourism for Canberra."
Mr Lopez said they were working hard to encourage families and kids to come to the festival, "because they're the next generation of street machine, we want them to fall in love with cars the same way we have".
Summernats canned its 2018 Miss Summernats competition as part of attempts to crack down on sexual harassment at the annual car show. Entrants to the festival were required to tick a box declaring they would not harass other patrons and security was beefed up this year.
Langtree's brothel manager Aaron Jones said the Summernats peak had slowed over the past four years.
"It's been about blokes, cars, drinks, tits," Mr Jones said, adding the overall festival experience had diminished.
He said two employees dropped out of the usual Summernats peak, which attracts a month's business inside a week, because of the festival's decision to axe the Miss Summernats competition.
Mr Jones said it looked like Canberra was trying to get rid of the car festival.
He pointed to previous clashes with Summernats' management, forcing the business to tone down their promotions.
"We've tried over the years to try and work with them, they're not interested," Mr Jones said.
"At the end of the day, if Summernats wasn't here, would we be out of business? Absolutely not. It helps during the quieter months."
Mr Jones' Langtree's brothel ran an on-demand shuttle from Summernats' front gate for patrons.
Fyshwick brothel, Tiffany's Palace, is also hoping for a good year but said they get by on reputation alone.
A spokeswoman said the brothel had workers coming in from as far as Western Australia and Queensland for the Summernats peak.
"It's very unpredictable. It starts to pick up when we get all of the interstate clients coming through. It was actually really, really good last year."
