Alain Gagnon
Hundreds of vendors lined the outdoor grounds.
Words by Alain Gagnon
Instagram: @azimuth_overland
After completing a series of exciting overland trips in 2019, we rounded out our season by attending the annual Overland Expo East, one of the premiere overland and outdoor adventure events that brought together industry representatives, vendors, off-road enthusiasts and adventure travellers for three days in Arrington, Virginia.
Held at Infinity Downs last October, Overland Expo East is one of the world’s most unique events for outdoor adventure enthusiasts where industry experts hosted insightful seminars, inspirational programs, roundtable discussions along with a large expo featuring hundreds of vendors of adventure travel equipment, camping gear, vehicles and services you need to further enhance outdoor experiences.
VIP Ultimate Experience tickets provide full access to the event, the many seminars, and the chance to drive your own rig under the supervision of a professional guide on a challenging off-road track.
For 2019, event organizers moved the Overland Expo East approximately 480 km (300 mi) north from its original location in Asheville, North Carolina to Arrington, Virginia. By changing of the venue, organizers estimated that more than 40 percent of the attendance was going to be new people. In total, there were more than 12,500 attendees from around the world with 188 registered exhibitors, 200 seminars, plus several demos and activities, which totaled 440-plus session-hours by 125 presenters and instructors. This was our second time attending the event after experiencing the Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, Arizona, and once again, we weren’t disappointed.
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Alain Gagnon
A show attendee running the featured track.
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Alain Gagnon
An overview of the event.
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Alain Gagnon
One of many vehicles on display.
Even though the Overland Expo East is smaller in attendance and exhibitors, I found it just large enough to easily roam and visit comfortably with vendors, discussing my current projects and checking out the latest gear. We purchased the VIP package, which allowed us to camp on the premises, meet other overlanders, and walk to the venue (and the beer tent). We took in various insightful training sessions presented by overland and 4x4 experts.
Some of the lectures we attended were really well presented and provided diverse, valuable information for both beginner and intermediate overlanders. The seminars included overlanding through South America, basic recovery procedures, along with various open discussion topics.
As both events have become so popular among the overland community, event organizers added a third event for 2020 – Overland Expo Mountain West – in Loveland, Colorado, approximately 100 km (54 mi) directly north of Denver.
Overland Expo should be on the top of any overlander’s list of events to attend. Be sure to visit www.overlandexpo.com for all the details in 2020/21.