2025 Adventure Van Expo Schedule

[Rocksnsalt]

Ventura is first up May 9-10.
San Juan Capistrano (usually the biggest) has moved to October 4-5.
Looks like (my favorite) the Big Bear event was dropped. And no Utah event. 🫤
I’d heard rumor last year, guess it was true… at least so far.

Home | Adventure Van Expo

Come to the Adventure Van Expo shows throughout the summer and check out a weekend full of unique builds, custom designs, open house vans, vans to buy, public-built rigs and a whole lot more.

adventurevanexpo.com

Not sure why the AVExpo site has dates/locations in random order but Agile cleaned it up on their site:

Shoutout to all the exhibitors and especially the ones that do the whole tour. Must be exhausting!

 

[AK_Sprinter]

Ventura is first up May 9-10.
San Juan Capistrano (usually the biggest) has moved to October.
Looks like (my favorite) the Big Bear event was dropped. And no Utah event. 🫤
I’d heard rumor last year, guess it was true… at least so far.

Home | Adventure Van Expo

Come to the Adventure Van Expo shows throughout the summer and check out a weekend full of unique builds, custom designs, open house vans, vans to buy, public-built rigs and a whole lot more.

adventurevanexpo.com

Not sure why the AVexpo site has dates/locations in random order but Agile cleaned it up on their site:
View attachment 351105

Thanks for the info. Our plans for this year are still being worked out, but it looks like we might be able to make it to either Ventura or San Juan Capistrano. Last year spent a few hours at the one in Enumclaw and enjoyed it.

 

[giarigi]

Bummer there’s no Big Bear event. It’s been a great excuse to drag the family up there the last few years!

 

[ohmyjersh]

Bummer there's no Redmond event, I wanted to take my daughter who loves watching van building videos and lets me know which ones are the fancy ones.

I think the overland expo will be there, we will go and there should be some fun stuff.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Here’s some info from Agile re the Overland Expo’s.
Looking at the March 15-16 event in Costa Mesa at the OC fairgrounds, 1 day tickets $20 but no mention of parking fee.
Anyone know about parking costs there? Not sure I’ll go, just curious. I know how some places really gig ya for parking, and it’s OC, sooo…

Overnight Camping sold out. 🫤

Events » Agile Offroad

See where Agile Offroad will be next! Check out upcoming events we're hosting or attending, and connect with our crew in person.

agileoffroad.com

 

[patapon]

As far as these events go, do vendors typically offer discounted items by any chance? I was hoping to go to Big Bear this year . But may now consider the one at Ventura and Costa Mesa

 

[Green Maned Lion]

As far as these events go, do vendors typically offer discounted items by any chance? I was hoping to go to Big Bear this year . But may now consider the one at Ventura and Costa Mesa

Never been to one, but it strikes me as illogical that a vendor would spend all the extra overhead of setting up at such a show and offer discounts.

When I did specials (such as shows) for my safety equipment business, I might offer 'show sales' but the 'discount' would be off of an already inflated MSRP, and would be, if anything, more than I sold it for in my store. I think my open day rent on my final store came to something like $250/day, while show rents tended to be closer to 3-4 times that/day for the same square footage.

 

[patapon]

That make sense from the business side perspective. 👍. Then there’s the “ask for an all cash no tax discount” lol. For other event interests that I attend, it usually works. Even doubling up with a buddy or two to buy more products certainly helps. Kind of like a group buy.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

As far as these events go, do vendors typically offer discounted items by any chance? I was hoping to go to Big Bear this year . But may now consider the one at Ventura and Costa Mesa

Not typically but sometimes with smaller vendors or companies that make/sell smaller items.
Definitely a bit more last year than prior years.
Don’t expect it from the bigger vendors, but never hurts to ask - worst that can happen is a “NO”.
Most the bigger items on display are not stocked at the shows.

I’m totally bummed no big bear event this year. Definitely my favorite of the few locations I’ve been to.
Though I did hear last year that may be the last one there, I can’t help but wonder if someone (or a few) did something stupid or inconsiderate that pissed off the locals and city council or whoever.
SJC event is the biggest but a total zoo, too many people for me.

 

[Calico Van]

Bummer there's no Redmond event, I wanted to take my daughter who loves watching van building videos and lets me know which ones are the fancy ones.

I think the overland expo will be there, we will go and there should be some fun stuff.

Hood River is a really nice show too and not too far got a day trip from Central Oregon

 

[AK_Sprinter]

Enumclaw last fall was the first such show we’ve been to. I think the value of these events isn’t so much buying stuff on the spot as it is being able to actually see various items installed and in use. And to chat directly with vendors about options. Much better than trying to visualize from pictures on the internet how something might work in our particular van.

The other value is in seeing some of the newer fancier builds. Our van is a very basic setup, good for us at the moment. But as we get older I suspect we may want a rig with a few more creature comforts. It’s good to see what options are out there.

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Yeah I agree.
It’s nice to see different builds, different ideas, different materials, and new products of every type.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Enumclaw last fall was the first such show we’ve been to. I think the value of these events isn’t so much buying stuff on the spot as it is being able to actually see various items installed and in use. And to chat directly with vendors about options. Much better than trying to visualize from pictures on the internet how something might work in our particular van.

The other value is in seeing some of the newer fancier builds. Our van is a very basic setup, good for us at the moment. But as we get older I suspect we may want a rig with a few more creature comforts. It’s good to see what options are out there.

Yeah, I agree with you. In fact, one of the reasons I did specials was to familiarize people in local communities that a professional safety gear supplier existed at the flea market- not an obvious place to look for one. I usually made a killing at them, but the number of long term customers I picked up from them was worth more than the sales.

I remember I talked to one guy at one in, near Shamong I think, anyway, he called me over to his house a few weeks later and placed a 5-figure order, plus a recurring contract for various disposables that was worth 4 figures every month, and it was drop ship for all of it. That alone was worth the rent there and then some- the rest of it was gravy. I suspect the concept applies to these shows that way as much for vendors as it does for buyers.

 

[marklg]

How long have they been going to Bozeman? Is that the new hotness for ex California folks?

Nothing in AZ from adventure van, although Overland Expo is in Flagstaff.

Regards,

Mark

 

[Rocksnsalt]

How long have they been going to Bozeman? Is that the new hotness for ex California folks?

Nothing in AZ from adventure van, although Overland Expo is in Flagstaff.

Regards,

Mark

Interesting about Bozeman. I think there is one Sprinter dealer in the whole state of MT (Billings) but is a destination for many. The MB site also lists a GMC dealer in Missoula though. Which seems like an oddity.
That said I’d be surprised if there’s a thousand visitors at the Bozeman event. Unless they include a lot of RV’s or combine with an Overland Expo. Or have a lot of curious people.

Re no events in AZ, season is May into October… all hot or at least quite warm mos in many areas of AZ?
So maybe that, venue availability and/or cost, and maybe projected attendance figures are low.
Or maybe the guy that puts on the AV expos (or the main exhibitors) just wants to limit the number.

All just guesses.

 

[marklg]

Interesting about Bozeman. I think there is one Sprinter dealer in the whole state of MT (Billings) but is a destination for many. The MB site also lists a GMC dealer in Missoula though. Which seems like an oddity.
That said I’d be surprised if there’s a thousand visitors at the Bozeman event. Unless they include a lot of RV’s or combine with an Overland Expo. Or have a lot of curious people.

Re no events in AZ, season is May into October… all hot or at least quite warm mos in many areas of AZ?
So maybe that, venue availability and/or cost, and maybe projected attendance figures are low.
Or maybe the guy that puts on the AV expos (or the main exhibitors) just wants to limit the number.

All just guesses.

That is why the Overland Expo is in Flagstaff. 7,000 ft and 20 degrees cooler than the desert. May to October in the desert is 100+. Flagstaff 80 or so and dry, unless there is a thunderstorm.

Regards,

Mark

 

[solarRV]

Here’s some info from Agile re the Overland Expo’s.
Looking at the March 15-16 event in Costa Mesa at the OC fairgrounds, 1 day tickets $20 but no mention of parking fee.
Anyone know about parking costs there? Not sure I’ll go, just curious. I know how some places really gig ya for parking, and it’s OC, sooo…

Overnight Camping sold out. 🫤

Events » Agile Offroad

See where Agile Offroad will be next! Check out upcoming events we're hosting or attending, and connect with our crew in person.

agileoffroad.com

Typical cost for event parking at OC Fairgrounds was ~$10 two years ago or so when I attended an event there. I just checked their website and it says $15 for parking ( the fee has gone up quite a bit probably due to inflation just like everything else here in CA). This is the same parking fee for people who want to go there for swap meet on the weekends as well.

The fairgrounds is big and you should check out the swap meet if you want to take a break (or get bored) from looking at all the vans 😁

 

[k6xlt]

Santa Rosa (Sonoma County Fairgrounds) is also dropped. Not a big surprise there. Have been to the last two here but can't say I noticed a decent crowd in attendance. Too bad since it was the only one in the SF bay area. OTOH, Hood River is definitely a Sprinter destination with a built in market with the numerous wind surfers and great breweries within walking distance . .

cg
Santa Rosa, CA

 

[Rocksnsalt]

Surprising not much attendance in norcal.

 

[VanGoSki]

Surprising not much attendance in norcal.

I was there. Seemed like a pretty good attendance to me?

On the other hand, it's only 3 1/2 hours from Olympic Valley, Tahoe, so kind of redundant.