Truck Camper Adventure is proud to announce that we’ll be attending the 2016 Overland Expo West in Flagstaff, Arizona. The event runs from May 20-22, 2016. This will be the third time that Truck Camper Adventure has covered the show. Unlike previous years, however, Truck Camper Adventure has been granted media credentials and will have full access to the whole show, including classes and seminars and evening programs.
If you’ve never been to an Overland Expo, it’s pretty cool. The event is held at the Mormon Lake Lodge, a rustic western-themed venue 20 miles south of Flagstaff. The venue offers full-service restaurants, a convenience store, an ATM, laundry, fuel (gas, propane), an RV park, and immediate access to the beautiful Coconino National Forest at an elevation of 7,800 feet. A dynamic blend of professional trade show and educational classes and workshops, the Overland Expo is designed to inspire and motivate attendees to see the world. It’s now the most popular overlanding show in the Western Hemisphere, and the most unique in the world. Its sister show, Overland Expo East, is held each October in North Carolina, at the world-famous Biltmore Estate. Organizers are expecting over 6,000 visitors at this year’s event.
This year BFGoodrich tires and Four Wheel Campers, along with Land Rover, RawHyde Adventures,
and BMW motorcycles, will be the top sponsors, and will be hosting an array of activities. These activities include a custom instructional driving course built and staffed by the world-famous Land Rover driver team and an “Adventure Motorcycle Village” with a teaching arena and riding course. Aside from Four Wheel Campers, other truck camper manufacturers that will be at the show include Phoenix Pop-Up Campers, Hallmark Manufacturing, and XP Campers. Organizers expect the show to grow by about 20 percent this year. The numbers from last year’s show include:
- 207 exhibitors, authors, videographers and VIP travelers/feature vehicles.
- 196 classes, programs, films, demos.
- 462 session-hours of programming.
- 160 presenters, instructors, and VIPs.
- 75 staff and volunteers.
- 5,000+ total people on site from around the world during the weekend (numbers were
reduced due to the extreme weather). - Close to 600 participants were Overland Experience package attendees.
- Attendees came from as far away as Australia, Dubai, China, and South Africa.
- Many U.S. states and nearly all Canadian provinces were represented.
Other exhibitors at this year’s event include Sportsmobile, BF Goodrich Tires, ARB-USA, Global Xpedition Vehicles, American Expedition Vehicles, Jeep and RAM, Equipt Expedition Outfitters, AT Overland, Rev’It, Overland Journal, as well as BMW, KTM, Triumph, Kawasaki, Honda, and Ural dealers—200+ other makers of equipment, camping gear, vehicles, as well as providers of services and travel resources and authors and filmmakers.
What is Overlanding?
It’s not “wheeling” or about conquering obstacles with a vehicle or bike; it’s about using four-wheel drive vehicles or adventure motorcycles to explore and camp—whether 100 miles or 10,000 miles from home, on pavement, backroads, or highly technical terrain. Overlanding is attracting adventurous young families, Baby Boomer retirees, and people of wide-ranging demographics.
Why the Overland Expo is unique?
No other event combines intensive education modules with social opportunities to visit with thousands of other enthusiasts and share information and experiences, as well as a wide array of product and service vendors—in a professional trade-show setting—just for overlanding-related activities. Overland Expo was founded by and is owned and run by Roseann and Jonathan Hanson, longtime overlanders who are committed to sharing their passion for travel, exploration, and conservation of the world’s natural and cultural heritage. Proceeds from Overland Expo support the sister charity ConserVentures.org.
Who attends the Overland Expo?
Nearly half the Overland Experience attendees are women, and dozens of families with children under 12 attend, to learn how they can pack up the kids and take off on extended travel. We are the only adventure travel show with a full Kids Adventure Program that is run by kids, taught by kids, and just for kids.
- Overland Experience packages include over 170 classes (400+ session-hours) taught by 150 of the top overlanding experts in the world.
- Day pass visitors can enjoy dozens of films, slide shows, mini-workshops, and roundtable programs.
- Over 220 exhibitors ~ four-wheel drive and adventure motorcycles, accessories, camping gear.
- Presenters and staff include 150 experts, authors, and videographers from around the world.
- Food, film festival, and happy hours.
- Thousands of overlanders from around the world.
- Onsite and nearby camping, minimal cost for day pass visitors.
- Kids under 17 are free.
Truck Camper Adventure hopes to see you there. For more details, visit www.OverlandExpo.com
