Florida RV Trade Association’s (FRVTA) West Palm Beach RV Show last weekend boasted 9,174 attendees, a record number for the regional show. The West Palm Beach RV Show’s previous attendance record was 7,992 in 2005.
“It was surprising this year with this crowd, especially not having a lot of winter residents coming down,” said Dave Kelly, FRVTA’s executive director, who was at the South Florida Fairgrounds for the show’s first two days. “Going into the first of the year, we had no idea whether attendance would be way down or way up. We did not know what to expect.”
Though the Feb. 18-21 show looked like it would break a record at its start, attendees continued pouring in over the weekend. Patty Flanagan, FRVTA’s regional show coordinator, was at the show’s final two days, Feb. 20 and 21. Flanagan said she largely credits the good weather for the 3,600 attendees who showed up Saturday and the 3,100 on Sunday. The sunshine brought first-time buyers and families looking for something to take the kids out in and get away, Flanagan said.
Kelly said FRVTA’s Jacksonville RV Mega Show earlier this month could have set its own show attendance record had it not rained. Flanagan said, “In Jacksonville, we started out with a record opening day, and the weather did not do us any favors over the course of the show.”
FRVTA implemented temperature checks at the West Palm Beach show’s general admission entrance and spread out sanitation and washing stations. Masks and occupant limits were enforced inside buildings and RVs. “People are unbelievably cordial to each other and respect each other’s space,” Kelly said. “While there was not a mask mandate outdoors, we saw people wear their masks the whole time at the show. [Wearing masks was] not as big of a deal as I thought it was going to be, because people are used to it.”
Kelly said FRVTA will enforce similar rules for the March 4-7 Ocala RV Show. Although FRVTA’s recent Jacksonville RV Mega Show and RV SuperShow in Tampa both had indoor showrooms, the Ocala show will take place exclusively outside. Kelly said, “We will still ask them to wear their mask inside the units.”
