Show season in the RV, boat and camping industries is finally seeing the sun after a dark age of erratic weather, Covid-related cancellations and last-minute scrambling.
Dealers are reporting positive signs from consumers after a year without live shows.
The latest came on the East Coast, where good weather drew crowds to an inaugural North Georgia Boat and RV Show on Feb. 19-21. More than 2,000 attendees and 10 vendors were scattered throughout Gainesville Marina, said event venue and dealership Sales and Finance Administrative Assistant Aubree Spring. Next year, she said she hopes to see more.
“Honestly, people really loved all the vendors,” Spring said. “Because we were outdoors and had great weather, we were really lucky.”
Spring said Gainesville Marina is typically at the area’s Atlanta Boat Show. When the Atlanta event was cancelled, the dealership decided to keep the spirit alive with its own show.
“This is the first time we have ever done anything like this,” Spring said. “It went really well for the first year, and it was hard enough to get it off the ground.”
Another reportedly successful event was an indoor expo in Billings, Montana, which took place Feb. 23-28 and hosted three dealers – Bretz RV & Marine, Airstream of Montana and Gull Boats & RV. The in-person event was held at the MetraPark Expo Center.
“We were all unsure what it was going to bring as far as when people come out we were the first show to kind of fire up here in Billings,” said Dustin Bretz, operations director for Bretz RV and Marine. “And the turnout has been incredible, absolutely incredible.”
The RV industry is seeing new and established shows conducted the first two months of 2021, despite setbacks such as weather. The Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) hosted the Jacksonville RV Mega Show on Feb. 11-14. Although the annual event did not see the sun this year, FRVTA Regional Show Coordinator Patty Flanagan said the turnout made dealers and vendors “extremely happy with attendance.”
In southern Florida, the association’s West Palm Beach RV show hosted a record 9,174 attendees at the South Florida Fairgrounds on Feb. 18-21. Sunshine brought first-time buyers and families looking to take the kids out and get away, Flanagan said.
“People are unbelievably cordial to each other and respect each other’s space,” FRVTA Executive Director Dave Kelly said, who was at West Palm’s first two days. “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.”
In Wisconsin, dealerships such as Kunes RV are directly addressing a need for in-person events. The company wrapped up its RV show Feb. 14 at the Kunes RV La Crosse-branded facility in Holmen, Wisconsin. Despite minus-6 Fahrenheit temperatures, Kunes RV Marketing Manager Melody Thompson said she considered the turnout good.
“There is a huge need [for shows] right now, especially in Wisconsin, but maybe in the Midwest or all over,” Thompson said. “A lot of RV and camping shows were cancelled due to the pandemic. People want to venture out, especially now with the vaccine out and people feeling safer.”
