Friday’s Video: Opening Day at ‘The Rally’

Today’s slide show features photos from the opening day of “The Rally” in Louisville, Ky., courtesy of photographer W. Scott Mitchell.

Thank goodness for air conditioning.

It’s saved this year’s edition of “The Rally,” a four-day RV extravaganza that got underway Thursday (July 22) at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky.

“It’s supposed to be 99 degrees today — the hottest day of the year, but its 72 degrees inside the exhibit hall,” said Terry Thompson, vice president of RV sales for Affinity Group Inc. (AGI), The Rally sponsors. “If we weren’t indoors, we would die right now — everybody would go home.”

But, clearly, everyone is staying.

The Rally has attracted close to 2,500 RVs, Thompson said, and more than 1,000 day passes to The Rally were sold on Thursday. The total is “great for a Thursday,” he added.

“There’s a good buzz here. Units are being sold. Exhibitors seem happy. The guys that I talked to were happy with sales for the first day. The vendor exhibitors are very happy with the traffic,” he said.

Rally goers have been well entertained thus far. The Monarchs, a rock and roll band based in Louisville, performed Wednesday night inside spacious Freedom Hall and “people loved them,” Thompson noted.

Comedian Bob Newhart entertained Thursday night.  ”Most people I talk to said he started out a little slow, but finished strong.”

Thompson noted a minimum number of complaints at this year’s Rally.

“When things are lousy, everybody’s in the registration area talking to us, saying, ‘This is bad, that is bad.’ There wasn’t anybody in there yesterday. That means they were busy.”

Dozens of seminars are on tap again for today, as is the Seventh Annual Rally Dog Show, featuring hundreds of dogs. Country and western singer Tanya Tucker entertains tonight at Freedom Hall.

The Rally runs through Sunday.

The Rally is sponsored by Affinity Group Inc., parent company of RVBUSINESS.com.

Exhibitor Aisles Jammed at AGI’s ‘The Rally’

The 11th Annual “The Rally,” sponsored by Affinity Group Inc. (AGI), opened this morning (July 22) with a rush of humanity bursting into the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC) in Louisville, Ky.

“It was like opening the gates to a rock concert,” said Terry Thompson, AGI vice president of sales, RV media division. “We opened at 10 and you can’t walk through the aisles. It’s jammed wall to wall with people.”

The Rally has attracted the owners of more than 2,500 RVs from all parts of North America to enjoy  the event, which includes some 1,000 new RVs on display, 500 vendor booths, 120 educational seminars and nightly entertainment.

For the first time, all exhibitor booths and RV displays are inside the KEC’s South Wing, which is an added bonus to this year’s event, as the weather outside is hot and humid.

“We knew it was hot in July in Kentucky but we didn’t know it was this hot,” Thompson said.

The Rally early-bird events got off to a good start Wednesday afternoon with a Coach Preview from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“It was jammed with people, units were sold, things went better than they expected. We don’t always have a preview but we’re glad we did it,” Thompson said.

He called The Rally a “shot in the arm” for the RV industry.

Sherman Goldenberg, publisher of RVBusiness magazine and RVBUSINESS.com, echoed Thompson’s observation on The Rally’s early going, from the bulging crowds to the manufacturers’ early responses.

“Manufacturers seem to be upbeat,” Goldenberg said. ”The Rally seems to be particularly well-timed, pulling together a nice number of consumers at a time there would have been no national event. They appear to be happy about that.”

Thompson added, “When you have every aisle in an hall selling product, it shows you they (consumers) are alive and kicking, using their units and buying new units. I view it as a great commercial for the RV industry. This is the heartbeat right here; these are the people getting it done.”

Thompson said show sponsors expect a big day crowd to attend the event, which runs through Sunday.

AGI President Mike Schneider noted The Rally’s growth since its inception 11 years ago.

“We’re at the level with the show where we want to be to help service the industry, where additional exposure to the RV lifestyle and additional sales opportunities are important. That’s where we see our role in both those areas,” Schneider said. “The event itself speaks to the vibrancy of the market and Affinity’s role as a conduit between the industry and the consumers. We see ourselves providing a number of different forums that the industry can reach the consumer when they are thinking RV. We do it through magazines, websites, shows and this rally, among other places.”

Schneider tonight will host the Good Sam Club’s Welcome Mat Awards program, which annually recognizes RV friendly business across the U.S.

Comedian Bob Newhart wil entertain the crowd tonight, with Tanya Tucker scheduled for Friday night.

‘The Rally’ Opens at Louisville’s Expo Center

Watch today’s Featured Video to see WDRB-TV’s telecast from The Rally.

Louisville, Ky., will be seeing a lot of out-of-town visitors this weekend. Not only is the HullabaLOU Music Festival underway at Churchill Downs, but the recreational vehicle lifestyle will be celebrated nearby at the Kentucky Exposition Center, WDRB-TV, Louisville, reported.

It’s a gathering of RV owners from around the country called The Rally.

Kathy and Michael Galgiani are a long way from their Carson City, Nev., home. But they are the kind of visitors any city would be glad to have. That’s because they spent a couple of hours Wednesday morning picking up litter at McNeely Lake Park in south Louisville.

“We always come in a day early on these rallies to help the community,” says RV owner Kathy Galgiani. “We have about thirty people here and we are just cleaning the grounds.”

Some 2,700 RVs are expected to fill the parking lots of the Expo Center during the weekend. Vendors on Wednesday morning were setting up their exhibits in the South Wing and Hall of the Expo Center.

“As you see, we have these great exhibits of RV’s and RV accessories on display,” says Sue Bray, a spokesperson with The Rally. “We also have about 120 seminars going on, all about the RV lifestyle.”

This is the 11th such gathering of RV owners. It’s the second time they’ve come to Louisville. This year the RV industry is celebrating its 100th anniversary. To mark its centennial, there is a collection of vintage RVs in the parking lot outside the South Wing.

“There are RVs from the 1930s, 1940s,1950s and 1960s, so you can really see the history and evolution of the vehicle,” adds Bray.

Roger and Barbara Pisa from Michigan are traveling in their 1962 restored Shasta RV. “We’ve replaced a lot of rotted wood up front and we’ve replaced the windows,” says Roger Pisa.

“I have a nice working stove, a microwave and a refrigerator, so life is good,” adds Barbara Pisa.

Some 7,000 people are expected to attend the gathering, resulting in an $11 million economic impact to the region.

The Galgianis plan to spend a little time and money around the area. “I think we are going to go downtown and do some things down there,” says Michael Galgiani, “and then after the rally we are going to spend some time in the bourbon area, and then Park City and the cave area and spend about a week there.”

The four-day RV rally begins on Thursday and runs through Sunday.

RVers Converge on Louisville for ‘The Rally’

Louisville will be the recreational vehicle capital of the country this weekend, when thousands of RVs descend on the Kentucky Exposition Center for a four-day rally that billed as “the nation’s largest RV event.”

The rally runs Thursday through Sunday and is expected to draw about 15,000 RV enthusiasts from across North America to participate in and watch what organizers describe as “family-friendly activities,” including entertainment, RV seminars, talent contests and events for young people. The activities are open to the public, for a price.

The event also is intended to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the RV industry, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.

Sue Bray, an official with the Affinity Group Inc. (AGI) of Ventura, Calif., a leisure-industry company that organized the rally, estimated that 2,500 to 3,000 RVs will be parked at the exposition center and at nearby Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium lots. They began arriving Tuesday.

Affinity estimates that the event will have an economic impact of $11 million, making it one of the more lucrative conventions or trade shows held in Louisville this year.

Bray said the Affinity Group annual RV rally was first held in 2000 in Wyoming. It was held previously in Louisville in 2003. It was in Perry, Ga., last year and is planned in Redmond, Ore., in 2011.

People with RVs have the “freedom to travel and have new experiences and to be able to do it in the comfort of your home.”

Among the RV owners in Louisville for the event are John and Paula Reynolds of Rockaway, N.J. He said the couple usually spends three months of the year on the road, taking their RV to rallies, going on camping trips and using it for other leisure travel.

Reynolds, who works as a bus mechanic and driver for a school district, said he enjoys “being able to go where you want to go, when you want to go and how you want to go.”

Reynolds said that he used to travel frequently on business but that he tired of “the mess …. Now I don’t fly any more. I don’t go on trains or buses, unless I absolutely have to. I get in my RV, and we go. I don’t have to wait in line for an airline, or be at a hotel by 6 p.m. And I get to sleep between my own sheets every night.”

Reynolds said driving his RV, a 36-foot long Fleetwood Fiesta Class A, is like driving a bus. He usually tows a car for local driving and brings along a couple of mountain bikes.

The Louisville rally will offer attendees a chance to see the latest in RVs and motorhomes. They can test-drive — and arrange to purchase — vehicles from among the hundreds to be displayed on site. In addition, there will be about 300 booths at a trade show with displays of RV-related products and services.

About 20 vintage RVs will be exhibited, and leisure-industry officials will present more than 150 seminars during the weekend on such topics as healthy cooking on the road, chassis systems, RV trouble-shooting techniques and RV caravan travel.

Evening entertainment will be centered in Freedom Hall. Comic Bob Newhart will be the headliner Thursday night, while Friday night’s concert will feature Tanya Tucker.

AGI’s Livingston Leading 100 RVers on Tour

The RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Ind., had some special visitors Saturday (July 17).

Approximately 100 RVers — 50 couples — descended on the museum and conference center as part of the “Centennial Caraventure,” a four-day RV caravan in honor of the RV industry’s 100th anniversary leading up to The Rally 2010 in Louisville, Ky. The rally is the largest RV rally in the country, and is expected to draw 12,000 RVers this year, the Goshen News reported.

“Centennial Caraventure” participants toured the Newmar factory in Nappanee Friday before attending a lunch and tour at the Hall of Fame Saturday. The luncheon was followed by a presentation on the industry’s history and a technology and lifestyle seminar with Bob Livingston, senior vice president of Affinity Group Inc., and leader of the Caraventure.

“What it is, is really an enthusiast’s rally where people become immersed in the history all the way up to present time RVs,” Livingston said. “We talk about the lifestyle, we talk about technical aspects of RVs, we’ll talk about any topic at all. Basically, we’re talking about RVs until we don’t want to talk about RVs anymore.”

Livingston said participants have been extremely receptive to the format and have been thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Among those participants were Stan and Cathy Nicholson of Santa Barbara, Calif. The couple actually purchased an Airstream RV from Livingston years ago when he was still working for a dealer.

“We just had a college graduate (in the family), so we took the opportunity to drive our RV out for that and for this, then we’re driving around the country,” Stan said.

He said the couple has been seriously RVing for about 10 years. They make the most of each year, with a long stretch still ahead of them this summer.

“We don’t plan on going home for another three months,” Stan said.

Ray Cupples Jr. and his wife, Bonnie, were also enjoying the experience. The pair, who live in Clarion, Pa., started with tent camping and folding camping trailers before moving on to the full-fledged RV lifestyle after their children moved out.

“We’re enjoying the area. We wish we had a little time to do more,” Ray said.

He said they particularly liked the factory tour, being interested in the technical end of things.

“We’re always looking to upgrade or add to our units,” Ray said.

According to Livingston, participation in the event was limited to 50 couples to ensure enough one-on-one time between event staff and the RVers. He said they will probably hire more staff and increase the size of the event next year.

Today, Caraventure participants head to Louisville. The Rally 2010 will take place Thursday through July 25.

Centennial Caraventure Assembles in Indiana

The owners of 50 towable and motorized RVs assembled today (July 16) at the Elkhart (Ind.) Campground as a prelude to The Rally, a four-day gathering of RVers July 22-25 at the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC) in Louisville, Ky.

With the RV industry celebrating 100 years of RV manufacturing, the pre-rally event in Elkhart is dubbed the ”Centennial Caraventure,” and is being hosted by Bob Livingston, senior vice president and group publisher of Affinity Group Inc. (AGI), and his wife, Lynne.

”It’s an RV immersion tour to show people the history of the RV industry,” Livingston said this morning as motorized and towable RVs were pulling into the private campground north of the city that calls itself the ”RV Capital of the World.”

Mostly, Livingston said, the Centennial Caraventure is designed to be educational on several levels.

”We are going to talk about the state of the RV industry, trends, the RV lifestyle and technical matters,” Livingston said. ”We will show the history of the RV industry and how they work and how to fix them.”

Livingston anticipates that he and other industry representatives presenting seminars will answer a lot of questions. ”I learned a long time ago that you can give speeches all day long, but what RVers really want is to have their questions answered,” said Livingston, who will lead an informal caravan to Louisville on Monday in a Dynamax Grand Sport GT motorhome.

Centennial Caraventure participants through the weekend will tour Amish Acres, in Nappanee, the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Studebaker National Museum in South Bend and Newmar Corp.’s manufacturing facility in Nappanee.

More than 5,000 Rvers in 2,400 rigs — plus a few hundred walk-in day vistors are expected to take part in The Rally, which will include displays of new RVs along with family-friendly activities, entertainment from comedian Bob Newhart and country singer Tanya Tucker, RV seminars, talent contests, youth and teen programs and volunteers taking part in a ”Keep America Beautiful” effort in Louisville.

More than 150 seminars during the Rally will include such topics as healthy cooking on the road, chassis systems, RV troubleshooting techniques and RV caravan travel.

The Rally Dog Show will return for the seventh year, giving pet owners the opportunity to participate in Doggie Musical Chairs and the Double Vision look-alike contest.

As part of the centennial celebration, Affinity’s Good Sam Club affiliate asked those registering for The Rally to submit stories about their first RVing experience with the winner scheduled to receive 100 gallons of fuel.

AGI is the parent company of RVBUSINESS.com.

RVers to Converge on Louisville for ‘The Rally’

Thousands of recreational vehicle enthusiasts will celebrate the RV industry’s centennial at The Rally, a four-day extravaganza at the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC) , July 22-25.

The Rally, now in its 11th year, will bring more than 10,000 RVers to the Bluegrass State to take part in countless fun and family-friendly activities, and includes high-profile entertainers, RV seminars, talent contests, a youth and teen program and a volunteer effort, according to a news release.

Attendees will see the latest and greatest in RVs and motorhomes and can test-drive and purchase from top manufacturers and dealers across the nation with more than 1,000 RV models to choose from. In addition, hundreds of booths will display the newest RV products, gadgets and services. A special living exhibit of 20 vintage RVs will be on display, organized by the RV historian from the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Ind.

RV industry gurus will present more than 150 seminars at The Rally 2010, giving guests the opportunity to meet experts who can answer questions about the RV lifestyle. More than 30 daily seminars will cover such topics as healthy cooking on the road, chassis systems, RV troubleshooting techniques and RV caravan travel — just to name a few.

The Rally 2010 will also bring the best in stage and screen to entertain attendees. Stand-up comic and actor Bob Newhart will be on hand to keep the audience amused with his hilarious stories on Thursday, July 22; while on Friday, July 23, legendary country music artist Tanya Tucker will perform her greatest hits. Bands will play throughout the event, while “The Rally’s Got Talent” contest will feature a wide variety of acts and interesting talents on Sunday evening, July 25.

RVers love their pets, and the popular Rally Dog Show, “Kentucky K-9s!” is returning for the seventh year, giving dog owners and their pets a chance to compete in categories such as Doggie Musical Chairs and the Double Vision look-a-like contest on July 23. The Rally is also offering two pet adoption days for dogs and cats in need of homes through Louisville Metro Animal Services on Friday, July 23, and Saturday, July 24.

While The Rally focuses mainly on fun and exploring the RV lifestyle, attendees will also have the opportunity to give back to the local community. A pre-rally volunteer service day with Brightside, Louisville’s “Keep America Beautiful” affiliate, will take place on Wednesday, July 21. Volunteers will participate in beautification projects throughout the city. In exchange for a guest’s participation, The Rally will provide one night of free dry camping on Tuesday, July 20, as well as transportation and a sack lunch on the project day.

“The Rally is more than just an exposition — it’s an experience that celebrates the RV lifestyle,” said Mike Schneider, CEO of Affinity Group Inc. (AGI), parent company of The Rally’s hosts. “With this year’s 100th anniversary, we’re delighted to offer a great lineup of attractions that the whole family will enjoy. If you’re in the market for an RV, this is also a unique opportunity to compare nearly every make and model in one central location while enjoying entertainment, exhibits, seminars and more. We look forward to welcoming guests from across the country in Louisville this summer.”

As part of the centennial festivities, the Good Sam Club, the world’s largest RV owners’ organization with nearly 1 million member families, announces an RV centennial promotion. Members may submit a story about their first RVing experience, and the writer of the winning entry receives 100 gallons of gasoline or diesel fuel. To enter, Good Sam Club members can visit the RV.net blog.

In addition, a pre-event Centennial Caraventure hosted by Bob Livingston, senior vice president and group publisher of Affinity Media, will take RVers on a caravan into RVs’ past and present. The adventure, designed for enthusiasts who want an in-depth look at the history and lifestyle of RVing, begins in Elkhart, the heart of the RV industry, on July 16. Participants will tour Amish Acres, the RV/MH Hall of Fame, Studebaker National Museum and the Newmar recreational vehicle factory. The event also includes tech and lifestyle seminars. The Caraventure ends July 19 at The Rally.

For more than a decade, the annual Rally event has been hosted by the Good Sam Club, Trailer Life and MotorHome magazines, Trailer Life and Woodall’s Campground directories, Camp Club USA, Coast to Coast Resorts and Camping World President’s Club. All the organizations are either owned by or affiliated with AGI, the nation’s largest provider of outdoor recreation clubs, services, media and events, headquartered in Ventura, Calif.

Daily admission to The Rally is $10 for adults; children ages 12 and under are free. RV sites start at $189 for two people, and all-activity Rally Passports (without RV parking) are priced at $69 per attendee. Visit www.therally.com for information and registration. Fans can also join The Rally Facebook group at www.facebook.com/therally, track The Rally on Twitter at www.twitter.com/therally, and get updates at Eons by clicking on www.eons.com/groups/group/the-rally.

The Rally’s Vendor, Consumer Registrations Rise

Both consumer and exhibitor signups are ahead of last year — by double digits — for The Rally July 22-25 at the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC) in Louisville, Ky.

This year’s Rally theme revolves around the 100th anniversary of RVing in the U.S, an initiate that was spearheaded by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) and recognized in proclamations in Congress and a number of state legislatures.

Through Friday, 1,970 consumers had registered their coaches — a number that is 10% higher at this point than in 2009 when The Rally, sponsored by Affinity Group Inc. (AGI), was in Albuquerque, N.M.

”We are at least 10% or more ahead of where we were with advance (consumer) registrations than last year,” said Terry Thompson, AGI vice president of sales. ”We are two months out, and traditionally during the last two month we get a huge rush of registrations.”

Thompson also expects a 20%-25% increase in display coaches for sale that will be brought to The Rally by RV manufacturers and a 10% hike in vendor booths.

The Rally’s displays and programs this year all will be located indoors in the South Wing of the KEC, annual site of RVIA’s National RV Trade Show.

”We got manufacturers who didn’t participate last year,” Thompson said. ”That’s a good thing. They are healthier, obviously, than they were a year ago. And our sense is the people are buying at RV shows and The Rally certainly has become a buying rally.”

Owners of a total of 3,112 motorhomes and towable RVs registered for the 10th version of The Rally last year in Albuquerque.

The Rally (formerly called the Great North American RV Rally) is hosted by the Good Sam Club, Camping World President’s Club, Coast to Coast Resorts, Woodall’s and Trailer Life and MotorHome magazines, all of which are owned by AGI with headquarters in Ventura, Calif. RVBUSINESS.com also is an AGI affiliate.

Prior to The Rally, Bob Livingston, publisher of MotorHome magazine, and his wife, Lynne, will host a special, four-day behind-the-scenes look for registered RVers at the RV industry in northern Indiana with factory tours and visits to the RV/MH Hall of Fame/Museum in Elkhart, Ind., and the Studebaker National Museum in nearby South Bend.

The Livingstons then will lead a caravan to The Rally site in Louisville, about six hours south of Elkhart.

Entertainment at The Rally includes comedy icon Bob Newhart, country music superstar Tanya Tucker and SuperDiamond, a tribute band to singer Neil Diamond.

With more than 150 seminars during the four-day rally on subjects that include campground safety, dinghy towing, motorhome chassis, engine performance, pet care on the road and RV insurance among others, there also will be youth programs from children ages 6-12 and teenagers 13-17. Other events include a talent show, Rally Dog Show and a special living display of vintage RVs, organized by Al Hesselbart, historian for the RV/MH Hall of Fame/Museum. In yet another twist, 100 hundred gallons of fuel will be given to the owners of the oldest RV attending The Rally.

On July 21, the day before The Rally officially begins, RVers can volunteer with Brightside, a Louisville organization that enhances the city by planting flowers and other greenery on vacant lots.

‘RV Buddies’ Video Promotes 2010 ‘The Rally’

The feature video, “60 Days Until The Greatest RV Rally in the World,” is now available on “RV Buddies.”

Click here to watch the “RV Buddies” video.

The Rally advertises itself as the biggest and best RV rally of the year. Sponsored by Affinity Group Inc. and the Good Sam Club, Coast to Coast Resorts, Camping World President’s Club, Trailer Life and Motorhome magazines and Woodall’s Publications, the annual gathering welcomes RVers of all ages, shapes and sizes.

“RV Buddies” had this to say about The Rally, scheduled for July 22-25 in Louisville, Ky.:

“RV Buddies” went to last year’s Rally in Albuquerque and we’re glad we did. There was so much to do and see and experience and we had a lot of fun. We enjoyed seeing the new coaches and the seminars and the dog show and everything The Rally had to offer. But the best part wasn’t any of those things. The best part about The Rally is the people. They come from all across the United States and Canada and from many other countries around the world and descend upon The Rally in such a large group that the organizers describe the event as bringing a “city to a city.” Literally thousands of people show up with their RVs to form the “Biggest” part of The Rally. And the people make it the “Best” part of The Rally. That’s where the description “The Biggest and the Best Rally” comes from. EVERYONE we met there was nice and they were there to have a good time. The camaraderie with fellow RV enthusiasts on a scale that big is the best we’ve ever seen anywhere. Any place. Any time.

This year, the Rally is in Louisville, Kentucky and we think you should take a look at going. But don’t take our word for it. Take a look for yourself. We’ve put together a piece from the video we shot at last year’s Rally in Albuquerque so you can get an idea of what went on last year and what to expect this year. With 60 days left, there’s still plenty of time to plan your trip to this year’s “Greatest RV Rally in the World.”

For more information contact Mark Summers at Mark@RVBuddiesOnline.com.

Newhart, Tucker to Perform at AGI’s ‘The Rally’

Affinity Group Inc. (AGI) announced more activities related to its upcoming “The Rally” to be held at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky., July 22-25 and the centennial celebration of the RV industry.

Comedian Bob Newhart will perform the night of July 22. Singer Tanya Tucker performs July 23.

The rally will also feature a special living display of vintage RVs, organized by Al Hesselbart, the official RV historian at the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Ind. This display will be open throughout the rally and will be an opportunity to experience RV living through the decades.

Finally, Bob and Lynne Livingston are leading a Centennial Carvanenture from Elkhart to the Rally in Louisville July 16-19. This pre-Rally program is designed for RV enthusiasts who really want to get an in-depth perspective of the RV lifestyle and industry. Highlights include: Amish country, a visit to the RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart and the Studebaker National Museum, a customized tour of the Newmar factory and tech and lifestyle seminars with Bob and Lynne.

The Centennial Caraventure is open to everyone, whether or not they are attending the Rally. Cost is $1,169/rig with two people for those attending the Rally and $1,299/rig with 2 people for those not attending the Rally.

More information is available on the rally website.

The event is expected to draw 10,000 RV enthusiasts in 4,500 RVs. More than 1,000 new RVs will be displayed. Other attractions will include 500 commercial booths, more than 30 educational seminars and nightly entertainment.

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