Each group of RVers has their own reason for getting an RV. Some are use it as their home either full-time or for the winter; some use it as a hunting shelter during hunting season; some just enjoy being out for the weekend; and, more and more, people are using RVs as a basecamp and a way to transport outdoor toys like off-road vehicles, 4 wheelers, boats and more.
The Sand and Water Expo in Lake Havasu City, Arizona is the place for the off-road types. The 8th annual show took place on November 16th and November 17th and features boats, off-road vehicles and travel trailers. The Buzz talked to the organizer, Bob Brown, about how the show went.
"It was really good," said Brown, "Our weather got really bad a few days after the show, but it was sunny and 80 during the days when we had it and you can't ask for anything better than that."
Brown explained that they do the Sand and Water Expo every November as it's a time when snowbirds are just starting to arrive en masse. "We get a lot of snowbirds coming to Lake Havasu and they love coming to check out that show," Brown said.
Lake Havasu City was named "Best AZ Winter Destination" in 2015 by website Tripping.com and remains one of the most popular stopping spots for snowbirds because of weather and all the things that there is to do in the area. Permanent residents number a little above 50,000; however in the winter that number greatly increases.
One of the many off road vehicles to amaze guests at the 2019 Sand and Water Expo [Photo/Sand and Water Expo]
One Wisconsin snowbird calls it a "Snowbird Heaven" saying, "Lake Havasu has just about anything anyone could want. Restaurants, theatre, outdoor activities, January Balloon Festival, February Pyrotechnics Festival, March Spring Break. Activities for all ages. Winter weather is fantastic."
Many of the vendors are from local areas, extending from Las Vegas to Southern California to Phoenix. "It's a great selling opportunity for dealers and manufacturers before the end of RV and off-road season," said Brown.
Having a show that features a variety of products makes sense in a place like Lake Havasu. "Most of the surrounding communities and here in Lake Havasu, people are outdoor recreation types," Brown said, "Most people have boats and off-road vehicles and many also have RVs, so the show fits just about everyone."
Lake Havasu is known as "Arizona's Playground," according to the Lake Havasu City website. Boating, fishing and off-road activities abound. According to the City website, "The areas in and around Lake Havasu City are home to more than 20 different networks of off-road trails through varying terrain, including sand dunes, canyons, and open desert."
The show has more than tripled in size since beginning 8 years ago, with the biggest uptick in RV and travel trailer vendors. "When we started this thing about 8 years ago, it was mostly still boats, though the off-road market was there as they kind of go side by side," Brown recalled. "But in the past few years, especially with the RV market going strong, we see a lot more travel trailers, especially the toy hauler types as they are perfect for having an off-road vehicle."
Bob Brown was originally involved in the boating industry as an editor of a boating publication. A little after that, he started working in marketing. "I worked for the Southern California Marine Association and we put on 5 boat shows a year," Brown informed The Buzz. When the economic downturn happened in late 2000s, the association closed.
In 2012, the Lake Havasu Association asked Brown to head their boat show, which they still have in the spring time. "It was originally done completely with volunteers," said Brown, "It is a big chore to put on a show and they weren't very skilled." After taking over the boat show, Brown decided to start his own show in the fall - The Sand and Water Expo. The boat show is still slightly more popular, but the fall show is increasing in numbers, too.
“This year we had about 7,000-8,000 visitors,” noted Brown, “And most of the people were couples ranging from about 30 years old to 60 years old, though really it’s all across the board.” Even if someone isn’t necessarily into off-roading or boating, it is fun adventure to check out all the different products out there, especially in an outdoor person’s paradise like Lake Havasu.
Features, Off Road, RV Lifestyle, Show, Trade Shows & Conferences, Trailers