The Red Deer RV Show is rolling into town a little earlier than usual.
A four-day recreation vehicle sale with Red Deer dealers – Vellner Leisure Products, Go RV, Woody’s RV, Allan Dale RV and Western RV – begins Thursday at Westerner Park.
The annual event is traditionally held on Family Day weekend, but is being held early so it doesn’t conflict with the 2019 Canada Winter Games, said Ronanne Ashton, the show’s head organizer and the Vellner Leisure Products general manager.
“It’s very different for us to have the show early,” said Ashton. “We’re really trying to get it out to people that it’s early. We have some concerns that people aren’t going to know where we are because it’s associated with the weekend.
“In the previous three years, we were a 10-day event and now we’re cutting down to four days. That creates some urgency because there is so much to do in so little time.”
About 8,000 people are expected to attend the RV show, which will feature 31 booth vendors alongside the five Red Deer dealers.
“Different vendors will come in and talk about camping, RV resorts, RV parking and storage yards, accessories and things like that,” she said.
Ashton said RVing is “Alberta’s pastime.”
“We have the best campgrounds and the best province for everything you can see and do with water and countryside.
“It’s a big industry for Red Deer,” she said. “The chance to do something every weekend, summer after summer, is why people RV. Many people live to get in the RV.”
Ashton said there is always new technology to discover at the show.
“It’s neat to see how the RVs change. You’ll think there’s no way they can be better than the year before, but they are,” she said.
There will be plenty for children to enjoy at the show as well, such as mascots, games and popcorn.
“It should be a good weekend,” she said. “It’ll be cold so people can’t really do much outside. Hopefully, they’ll come indoors to the RV show and walk around.”
The Red Deer RV Show is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit www.reddeerrvshow.com.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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