By Pamela Kay
Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) has announced dates and locations for the group’s two 2014 Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase events, as well as for the first event of 2015.
FMCA will be making repeat visits to several venues that seem tailor-made for the “cities on wheels” that take shape during its motorhome rallies and shows.
In March 2014, FMCA’s 89th Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase will come to life at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry. This will mark FMCA’s eighth visit to this RV-friendly facility.
FMCA held its first event in Perry in March 1996. The fairgrounds has continued to add buildings and to make other improvements over the years that have resulted in the location becoming even more attractive for an FMCA event.
“The combination of a first-rate facility — located just off Interstate 75 and along the path of many snowbirds — and the Southern hospitality we always experience in Perry makes this a not-to-be-missed event for motorhome owners,” noted Charlie Adcock, FMCA national president.
Approximately 2,500 motorhome families and some 6,000 to 8,000 people are expected to gather for the March 17-20, 2014, Reunion. All RV owners and members of the general public are invited to participate. Various admission options are available.
The Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond, Oregon, will play host to FMCA’s 90th Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase August 13 to 16, 2014. This is another venue that lends itself well to an FMCA event, and one to which the association is making a repeat visit – its fifth.
The 132-acre Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center was designed using a circular plot, which makes the grounds easy to navigate and puts the activity centers in close proximity. Well-kept buildings, beautifully landscaped activity areas, and spectacular views of seven mountain peaks are other hallmarks of this site.
“The folks at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center are great to work with,” said Jerry Yeatts, FMCA executive director. “And the city of Redmond, as well as the surrounding Central Oregon communities, welcome FMCA with open arms.”
And then in March 2015, FMCA will make a return visit to Fairplex in Pomona, California. Fairplex also provides a nearly ideal setting for an FMCA event, including paved parking for not only the motorhomes that are on display but also for all of the families attending in their homes on wheels.
Set on more than 480 acres, Fairplex is billed as the “largest multi-use playground in Southern California.” The March 26-29, 2015, event — FMCA’s 91st Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase — will mark FMCA’s seventh Reunion at this popular, first-class facility.
Plans are in the works for FMCA’s summer 2015 event as well, and the dates and location for that gathering will be announced in the near future.
Activities abound at these get-togethers. One of the important elements of these Reunions is an exhibition of motorhomes. Major manufacturers and dealers gather to display their vehicles, and motorhome components and accessories also are available for inspection.
In addition, a wealth of informative seminars centering on topics of interest to motorhomers — including motorhome chassis maintenance and microwave-convection oven cooking — are held.
Opportunities for taking part in various social events — among them morning coffee hour and an ice cream social — present themselves to convention attendees. Organized tours of local sites and attractions take place. Evenings are filled with entertainment presented by top-notch performers, as well as other social activities.
To register for the upcoming event in Georgia, or for additional information about FMCA’s Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase events, visit FMCA.com or call (513) 474-3622 or (800) 543-3622.
ABOUT FAMILY MOTOR COACH ASSOCIATION • Enhancing The Motorhome Lifestyle
Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) is an international organization for families who own and enjoy the use of self-contained, motorized recreation vehicles known as motorhomes. The association maintains its national headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, and currently has nearly 80,000 active member families. FMCA offers its members a number of benefits, including a subscription to its monthly magazine, Family Motor Coaching; trip routing; mail forwarding; group rates on motorhome insurance, roadside assistance, and an emergency medical evacuation plan; and the Michelin Advantage tire program. Perhaps the most important benefit of FMCA membership is the camaraderie and friendships that develop among people enjoying the common interest of motorhome travel and recreation.