The gathering of this international motorhome owners’ club that includes 6,000 people is taking place at Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, August 13-16. This will be the group’s fifth visit to Redmond, as the association hosted a convention there in 2001, 2004, 2007, and 2010.
The confab is the second motorhome convention FMCA is hosting this year. The group also met in Perry, Georgia, this past March. In the past few years, the group met in Gillette, Wyoming; Indianapolis, Indiana; Madison, Wisconsin; Bowling Green, Ohio and St. Paul, Minnesota.
An FMCA convention includes a sizable motorhome exhibition. A number of the major North American manufacturers and dealers will bring new motorhomes for viewing. A variety of 2014-model and some 2015-model motorhomes will be on display. In addition, nearly every conceivable RV accessory and component, as well as items suitable for use in the home, will be on display in The Bank of the Cascades Event Center and the High Desert Activity Center. Members of the public will be able to tour the motorhomes that will be on display and see for themselves the many amenities packed inside these modern RVs, which have all of the conveniences of home — and then some, in many cases.
Admission to the show is $7 per day. Children 12 and under are admitted free with an accompanying adult. Individuals with an active military ID are admitted free as well. A Daily Passport also is available for $65.00 ($55 for members), providing access not only to the exhibits but also to all seminars and evening entertainment. Public parking will be available inside the Mount Hood entrance (main gate) at Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center; follow the signs to Lot 3 – Public Gate Parking.
RV owners are invited to take part in all of the activities and also to bring their RV and stay with the rest of the group at the Expo Center. The gate registration fee for non-FMCA members is $245, which automatically grants the RV owner a one-year FMCA membership or Family Motor Coaching magazine subscription.
Regular hours for the motorhome displays will be 9am-5pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, August 14-16. Hours for the displays of RV accessories, supplies, and components will be 9am-4pm on August 14-16.
Other makings of the motorhome convention include seminars regarding RV-related topics; professional entertainment; and various social events, among them morning coffee hour, an ice cream social, and other impromptu good times.
Traffic advisory information. Viewers/readers/listeners in Redmond and surrounding areas will be witnessing evidence of this event. Tourist attractions, shopping areas, and fuel stations should experience an influx. And motorists in the area might also notice a prevalence of motorhomes.
At the close of the event, motorhome traffic will be leaving the site on Sunday, August 17, starting somewhere around 6am and local residents may wish to avoid these areas again between 6am and noon that day.
Family Motor Coach Association Convention Facts
What is Family Motor Coach Association? Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) is an international organization for families who own and enjoy the recreational use of 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; group discounts on motorhome insurance and member-only RV tours and caravans; and a tire purchasing program.
The association also hosts two conventions each year, which is what will bring the group to Redmond, Oregon, in August. The event, which will be the group’s 90th Family Reunion & Motorhome Showcase, has been dubbed “High Desert Sunrise” in honor of the host area.
How many people are expected to attend? Approximately 2,000 motorhome families and some 6,000 people are expected to gather at Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center.
Free public parking will be available inside the Mount Hood entrance (main gate) at Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center; follow the signs to Lot 3: Public Gate Parking.
