Over 14,500 attendees, including campers from around the globe and nearly 250 registered exhibitors, were on hand for the annual Overland Expo East event Oct. 4-6 in Arrington, Virginia.
The outdoor showcase, which originated in 2009, comprised 250-plus session hours of educational programs including lessons about vehicle maintenance to navigating border crossings. Hundreds of instructional gatherings included demos, seminars, classes, movies and slideshows, plus thousands of rigs.
According to the Overland Expo official website, nearly 100 trainers, presenters and VIPs, plus dozens of journalists, were in attendance. Consumers visited from 45 U.S. states, while international participants traveled from as far as Brazil and New Zealand.
The exhibition and trade show served as an opportunity for vendors to showcase their latest gear and products, such as bull bars, battery packs, drawer systems, wing awnings and hitch-mounted tents.
Participants were offered a “Ride and Drive experience” in a Grenadier 4×4, so adventurers could get a personal look and feel of driving or riding vehicles on off-road terrain.
The event feature happy hours, booth parties and a film festival.
A charity raffle was also in the mix, courtesy of the Overland Expo Foundation. A $500 gift card, a recovery kit, camp kitchen essentials and a prize pack were among the winnings distributed. The raffle collected over $10,000 for the organization.
