Motorhome Show Heading For Central Oregon

Redmond, Oregon — Hundreds of motorhomes and a variety of accessory merchandise will be assembled in Redmond in mid-August in a display of recreation vehicles at Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center.  The motorhome exhibition, which will take place Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, August 11, 12, 13, and 14, 2010, is part of a convention of an international motorhome owners’ club, the Family Motor Coach Association, based in Cincinnati.

On Wednesday, August 11, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., a special preview of only the motorhome exhibits will take place.  And then on Thursday, August 12, an exclusive time for visiting indoor exhibits will occur from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Regular hours for the motorhome displays and indoor exhibits will be noon to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 12, and 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, August 13 and 14.

Major motorhome manufacturers and dealers will be bringing new motorhomes to Redmond for convention attendees to tour. Plus, companies will display their wares inside the Hooker Creek Event Center and the Beef Barn, making available RV accessories, components, supplies, campground information, and more.

The daily fee for viewing motorhomes and booth displays is $7.00 per person; children 12 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Individuals with an active military ID will be admitted free also. A Daily Passport that provides admittance to the exhibits, all seminars, and daytime and evening entertainment is available for $65.00 per person.  The admission fee on Wednesday covers admission on Thursday as well.

Public parking will be available inside the Mount Hood entrance (main gate) at Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center.

Those who own a motorhome are invited to take part in all of the activities and also to bring their motorhome and stay with the rest of the group at the Expo Center. The price for non-FMCA members is $224; this non-member fee automatically grants a one-year FMCA membership to the motorhome owner. The FMCA member price is $174.

Convention attendees will be able to check out the latest features and innovations that are available in motorhomes.  Some of the displays will feature production-line units, and others will demo custom-built coaches for uses ranging from family camping to transporting high-tech business equipment, or for use as conference coaches.  A great variety of motorhome styles and a broad price range will be represented.

Motorhomes are a popular travel option.  According to a recent consumer study conducted by the University of Michigan, U.S. ownership of RVs has reached record levels. Nearly one in 12 U.S. vehicle-owning households now owns an RV.

In addition, the potential for future growth in RV ownership in general in the United States is considerable.  Sales of recreation vehicles are expected to increase as baby boomers move into their prime RV-buying years.

Industry officials believe that the advantages of RV travel in today’s climate will help to drive market growth.  Families want to spend quality time together and prefer the greater freedom, flexibility, control, and comfort RVs provide. Younger consumers and empty-nesters are both realizing the advantages of RVing over other forms of travel.

The RV exhibition is just one element of the Family Motor Coach Association motorhome owners convention.  Approximately 2,000 families will travel from across North America in their motorhomes to take part in the event, and some 6,000 people will be on hand. The convention will include seminars on topics relative to RVing; topflight professional entertainment; and various social events.

The Family Motor Coach Association offers to its members benefits the likes of mail forwarding service, trip routing, accidental death insurance coverage, a medical evacuation program, group rates for an emergency roadside assistance plan, a fuel discount program, a group discount on motorhome insurance, and much more, along with its monthly magazine, Family Motor Coaching, which is filled with helpful information for the motorhome enthusiast.  The organization’s national office is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and can be reached toll-free by calling (800) 543-3622 or on the Web at www.fmca.com.

Nikki

Nikki is a writer and editor for Do It Yourself RV, RV LIFE, and Camper Report. She is based on the Oregon Coast and has traveled all over the Pacific Northwest.