Anyone coming to St Paul for FMCA convention?

[belfert]

Are any of you busnuts coming to St Paul for the FMCA convention in June?  I live maybe 8 miles away from the convention site.  I would like to meet anyone who is coming.

I wanted to go to the convention one of the days just to look at the vendor booths, but it looks like the only option is pay $119 for a 4 day pass.  I have no desire to actually camp there especially since it is during the week.

[rv_safetyman]

Brian, we will again be vendors this FMCA event. 

We do not have a booth number yet, but we will be in the PRVVC (Professional RV Vendors Chapter) area that will be clearly marked.

I can get several "VIP" passes that will allow bus folks to get in free.  You should be able to tour the vendor area in one day.  Not sure how I will get these passes to folks.  I don't get them until we sign in at the vendor registration booth.  I think the VIP passes get you into the vendor area, but not the seminars (can probably sneak in) or the evening entertainment (they check that pretty close).

Once the show starts, I can't get away, but maybe I can get the passes to folks during the "set-up" days (July 13/14).  I think you can enter the fairgrounds on those days, and that will get you close to where I will be setting up.  Give us a call on the cell phone.

We will most likely be at the CVC (Converted Coach) pre-rally  at the Dakota County Fairgrounds in Farmington, MN (9/9-11).  This is a group dedicated to converted buses (many now have the higher level factory coaches, but there are still a few of us "bottom feeders" that attend).  Should be worth stopping by to look at a few of the coaches.

It will be interesting to see what the attendance will be (both CVC and FMCA).  Attendance has been dropping at each major FMCA event.  In the old days there would be over 5000 coaches .  Now, there are just over 2K at each event.  The $4 fuel will probably drop that number even more.  In Pomona, the vendor count was down a bit, but there is still about 4-500 vendors with almost every imaginable product (predominately RV related, but lots of other stuff as well).

Jim
three zero three 478-3501

[belfert]

Opps, I just realized the convention is in July, not June.  It is the same week I traditionally go to summer camp with the scout troop.  I won't be going with the troop this year due to too many adult leaders going, but I am checking to see if the camp needs any other help that week.

You said setup is July 13/14, but the FMCA site says the convention starts on the 14th?

I am intimately familiar with the MN state fairgrounds as I worked summers there for seven years cutting grass.  I've also worked during the fair itself since 1988.  They do have a campground there, but very few 30 amp plugs.  I suspect the high cost of electric hookup is the cost of all the temporary connections.  The fairgrounds has a lot of parking lots and I suppose that is where a lot of the RVs will be parked.

[rv_safetyman]

The FMCA schedule is a bit confusing. 

Set-up for vendors is 13-14. 

The new coach display area (only) opens the 14th.  The vendor building(s) do not open to the public until the 15th. 

Jim

[gumpy]

Jim,

If you have time, we're only about 40 miles from there. Maybe we can get together before or after the show. I doubt I'll be able to attend.

Also, we're trying to organize a small gathering at Devin and Amy's place up north of here the following weekend, if you want to hang around the state for a bit after the show.

You know you're always welcome here.

craig

[Sean]

What happened to the "day pass" that they used to sell for visiting the vendor exhibits?

I hunted around on the convention pages, but don't see it anywhere.  It looks like they were still doing them up till December.

We're going to be at the Escapade in Gillette, WY the previous week.  Too early to say if we'll try to make FMCA.  If we do, Jim, I might try to crash your converted coach rally en route.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com