The show will go on – in person – in January, as the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA) announced it was moving forward as usual on the 2021 Florida RV SuperShow.
The event is slated to run Jan. 13-17 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Fla. Industry day will be Jan. 12.
With the Super Bowl scheduled for Tampa in early February, FRVTA said it hopes that more regulations will be loosened, and the SuperShow will be as normal as it can be. Currently, Hillsborough County is under a mandatory indoor mask order.
“We will be doing everything in our power to provide a clean and safe environment for both the attendees and our exhibitors,” Show Director Lesa Colvin said. “This is new to all of us but working together with our manufacturers and booth exhibitors we are expecting another successful event.”
FRVTA Executive Director David Kelly said the association had been receiving calls about whether the show would be canceled, and FRVTA wanted to assure everyone it still was moving forward. Kelly said that announcement came in large part from discussions with industry participants.
“Everyone we talked to, pretty much across the board, not only wants to have the show, but is very excited about it,” he said. “They want to take advantage of the wave of new interest in this industry.”
Kelly said the timing of the event, with many winter time residents in Florida in January, helped out as well.
“It’s been a great show over the years, and it’s the right kind of place at the right time of the year,” he said. “The manufacturers we’ve talked to, the dealers we’ve talked to, and the booth and supplier exhibitors all are excited.”
Because of the restrictions around the pandemic, though, Kelly said the event might look different than the first 35 years it was conducted. He said FRVTA is talking with participants about having them help organizers follow some of the protocol that will be put into place.
Those protocols are being developed in conjunction with Hillsborough County officials and others in the area.
“The county is working with us very well. We’re working with their regulatory and compliance division, and they’re very open and up front,” Kelly said. “It’s a fluid discussion. What’s in place today may not be in place come January.”
FRVTA also will get a glimpse at some of what their show might look like this weekend. The Tampa Bay Boat Show, presented by the Tampa Bay Times newspaper, will be conducted in person this weekend at the same fairgrounds where the SuperShow later will be held.
“We’re working with the local paper that does the boat show this weekend, meeting with them and asking how they’re able to pull it off,” Kelly said. “We met with the fairgrounds this week, and they have a lot of signage and sanitizer stations available.
“We want to make sure we create and environment that is as safe and effective as it can be, and still have the fun we do with the entertainers,” he said.
SuperShow hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. To register for Industry Day, contact the Florida RV Trade Association at 10510 Gibsonton Drive, Riverview, Florida 33578, call 813-741-0488 or visit www.frvta.org.
The SuperShow will feature special events as well, such as the Super Rally. The Super Rally celebrates its 34th year at the SuperShow. The RV rally is open to all RV clubs and the general public and includes free SuperShow admission all five days, meeting facilities, entertainment and more.
Another feature at the 36th edition of the SuperShow will be a display of camping accessories and supplies, found in the Camping World Store and other booths. The event will feature free entertainment and seminars throughout the day.
