Imagine going to one place where you can meet new friends, view new motorhomes, shop, learn technical information regarding your motorhome, and be entertained. Come join us and find out that it’s truly a huge family reunion, complete with entertainment, exhibits, and a whole lot of motorhoming fellowship!

Family members own motorhomes; commercial members manufacture and sell products that family members use in their motorhomes. When you put these two groups together…watch out! What you get are four great days to visit hundreds of new state-of-the-art motorhomes including the latest technical and fuel economy features, as well as all the very important products that help you to enjoy this wonderful lifestyle.

Oh … and did we mention all the seminars, craft classes, tours, daytime entertainment, and great nights of evening entertainment that goes along with all the shopping?

FMCA conventions are just one of many member benefits that the not-for-profit association arranges for its members.

The reasons why families attend a convention are varied. Here is what attendees have told us:

Family – Conventions are all about celebrating the motorhoming family’s lifestyle. Fellowship – Friends who travel together or who plan opportunities to meet down the road find FMCA conventions a great place to gather.

Motorhome purchase – Many of the major manufacturers and dealers bring their best products to display. It's the best place to compare brands and shop for that next coach.

Coach Service – Knowledgeable technicians discuss problems with coach owners at the conveniently located FMCA Service Center or at their display. Repairs are arranged on site or at an off site repair facility.

Entertainment – FMCA showcases wholesome family entertainment appropriate for all ages, both throughout the day and in the evening.

Supplier and Component Exhibits – One-stop shopping. Everything a motorhomer needs and much more can be found in the exhibit buildings.

Technical Seminars – Plan to arrive early as most of the technical seminars fill up fast. Topics include chassis, engines, transmissions, electrical systems, towing, tires, and communication systems.

Educational Seminars – Safe driving classes, digital photography, microwave-convection cooking, fuel efficiency, as well as full time RVing are popular topics.

Make-and-Take Craft Seminars – Learn a new skill and walk away with a convention keepsake. These fun sessions fill up quickly and do require pre-registration on Wednesday beginning at 7:00 a.m. in the Information Center.

Fun, Fitness, and Health Seminars – Where does it hurt? There's probably an exercise that can help. Professional instructors guide motorhomers through exercises they can do in their coaches while traveling.

Tours – Enjoy exploring the locale with a professional tour company guiding the way.

Travel Destination – Beautiful, warm climate with many opportunities to explore the area.

Uniqueness – Everything a motorhome owner could ask for in one location; information sources, vendors, education, entertainment, fellowship - - and the list goes on and on. Come experience it for yourself!

The Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond, Oregon.

The official dates of the convention are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, August 11, 12, 13, and 14, 2010.

Since we want to minimize parking delays, FMCA has established “Parking Days” for Monday and Tuesday, August 9 and 10, based upon the date you register for the convention.

The Deschutes County Fair and Expo is located on Airport Road near the intersection of Highway 97 and Yew Avenue in Redmond. The directions will be included in your confirmation packet.

You have the following choices to register:

a) Register online.
b) Mail the registration form located in your April, May, June, and July 2010 issues of Family Motor Coaching magazine with check or credit card number to:

FMCA Convention Dept.
8291 Clough Pike
Cincinnati, OH 45244-2796
(Make checks payable to Family Motor Coaching, Inc., in U.S. funds.)

c) Phone (800) 543-3622 or (513) 474-3622, ask for Convention Family Registration.
d) Fax the registration form to (800) 543-4717 or (513) 474-2332.

Yes! A savings of $30, if you register by July 19, 2010. Besides the lower cost, early registrations receive early entry dates. Many families prefer to beat the crowd and get parked early.

Actually, you are also helping FMCA and the other convention attendees by pre-registering and arriving on your early entrance day.

Confirmation packets will be mailed as early as May 24. Upon registering, you may also choose to have your confirmation paperwork emailed to you versus being sent via mail. Your parking credentials, however, must either be mailed to you or held at Will Call for you to pick up. Registrations postmarked after Aug. 2, 2010, will be held and you may pick them up at Will Call at the Holding Area in Redmond located at Helmholtz Way & Coyote Avenue.

Yes, FMCA provides a registration office in the Holding Area so non-registered families can be ready to move to their permanent parking on Monday and begin mingling with new and long-standing friends right away.

P.S. Pre-registration is recommended. However, if you decide after the deadline to attend the convention, you may register at the Holding Area beginning Sunday, August 8 until Wednesday, August 11, at 5:00 p.m., when registration will then be moved to the Information Center, located in North Sister at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo, for the duration of the convention.

You will receive a refund if your request is received in writing by July 30, 2010. Your confirmation packet, including credentials for parking and badges, must be returned before a refund will be processed.

Electric cancelled on or before July 2, will receive 100% refund. Electric cancelled after July 2, and on or before July 23, will be refunded 50%. Absolutely no refunds for electric cancelled after July 23, 2010.

All cancellations are subject to a $10 handling fee.

Will Call is a service provided by FMCA where pre-registered families can choose to pick up their convention admittance credentials on site at the Holding Area. Many families ask that their confirmation packets be held for them so they can pick them up at the convention. Will Call is located in FMCA's Holding Area at Helmholtz Way and Coyote Avenue in Redmond, approximately four miles from the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center.

The Holding Area is a place where families who did not pre-register, can register for the convention; where families meet friends so they can park together; where families arrive prior to assigned parking days and wait for their assigned time to enter the grounds.

Welcome Bags contain your program, daily schedule of events and map, and the “Today” newsletter. Members of the Welcome Crew, as well as Volunteers, will stop by your coach, give you a Welcome bag, and collect your locator card. Locator cards can also be exchanged for a Welcome Bag at the FMCA Office located in South Sister; and beginning on Tuesday, August 10, in the Information Center located in North Sister from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Welcome Bag is also known as a goody bag.

All parking will be at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center.

Most families will be parked on crushed lava rock at the fairgrounds. The parking surface is grass in the holding area.

30-amp electric hookups are available, but limited, for an additional cost of $175. Be sure to pre-register for electric service when you register for the convention. Electrical service will be a combination of house power and power provided by generator. An additional 10-gauge electric cord may be necessary if your motorhome cord does not reach the provided 30-amp receptacle. FMCA also encourages members to have surge protectors on power cords leading to the electrical panel. If you need to cancel your request for electric, you must do so in writing on or before July 2. From July 3, and on or before July 23, electric fees will be refunded at 50%. Due to contract obligations with the electrical provider, absolutely no refunds for electric cancelled after July 23, 2010.

Electric service for family members begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10, and ends at 9:00 a.m. Sunday, August 15.

There is no dump station located at Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center or in the city of Redmond. A pump out roving service may be purchased for $30 from Advanced Systems at the Information Center in North Sister, Wednesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Fresh water is available at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center or may be purchased and delivered by Advanced Systems for $30. Be prepared and arrive at the grounds with full water tanks and empty holding tanks.

Yes. The Service Center will be located in the Gallery of Hooker Creek Event Center on Wednesday, August 11, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. It will be open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, August 12, 13, and 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Firms that have a service vehicle, request that you make an appointment with their personnel at the FMCA Service Center. The service van will meet you at your coach in your parking area. Please do not bring your motorhome to the service center. Service is limited and some firms may direct you to service facilities outside the grounds. Firms not participating at the service center should be contacted at their exhibit booth.

Motorhome service is reserved for members registered for the convention and residing on the convention grounds.

Enjoy visiting the motorhome displays during the motorhome exhibit preview on Wednesday, August 11, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This is in addition to the display hours of 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday; and 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday.

Supplier, component, and outdoor supplier demonstration area exhibit hours will be Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with an exclusive time for supplier, component, and outdoor suppliers from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Yes. There is a public gate fee of $7 per day per person to visit the exhibits only. Free public car parking is available and will be located in Lot 3 at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center. Public will be directed to enter via the Mount Hood entrance, and follow signs to public parking and to purchase tickets available at the Galloway Gate.

To visit the exhibits, attend all the seminars and evening entertainment for one day, FMCA members and public gate patrons can purchase a daily passport at the public gate for $55 for members and $65 for non members.

Everything from A to Z will be on display at the Redmond convention – the latest motorhome models (Types A, B, C as well as bus conversions) to components and accessories. There will be hundreds of new motorhomes on display for your viewing pleasure, and many manufacturers and dealers have demo vehicles for test drives. We also have hundreds of component/supplier companies displaying a wide range of components and accessories.

For exhibit registration information, contact FMCA's Convention Sales Department at (800) 543-3622, ext. 214 or 254. Or, send an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; or, register online; or, download the Exhibitor Brochure.

Evening entertainment is open only to registered convention attendees, and is not open to public gate patrons.

Movie Night: Monday, August 9, 7:30 p.m., Seminar 4, South Sister "The Long, Long Trailer"
"The Long, Long Trailer" is a novel by Clinton Twiss from the 1950s. It is about a couple (Nicky Collini and his fiancée Tacy) who buy a new travel trailer home and spend a year traveling across the United States. The novel was made into a movie in 1954 starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Marjorie Main, Keenan Wynn, Bert Freed, Moroni Olsen, Gladys Hurlbut, Madge Blake, and Walter Baldwin. It was directed by Vincente Minnelli working from a screenplay by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich.

Nicky Collini and his fiancée, Tacy, buy (despite Nicky's extreme reluctance and dire predictions), a large trailer home (a 40-foot) 1953 New Moon, which cost $5,345 at the time), so that they can save money that would otherwise be spent on a house, and also be able to travel around the USA to civil engineering projects that Nicky is employed on.

They have to buy a more powerful car to tow the trailer, a 1953 Mercury Monterey convertible with a 125 HP flathead V8 engine, and the money spent starts to mount up. The honeymoon trip to the Sierra Nevada mountains rapidly becomes a catalogue of disasters. These include Tacy's attempts to cook dinner in a tilted trailer, and a cliffhanging ride on a narrow road through the mountains.

Relations deteriorate between the couple and finally Tacy storms off in a huff. But by the film's end, they are tearfully reunited.

Card Bingo: Tuesday, Aug. 10, 7:30 p.m., Seminar 1, Middle Sister
"B-10… or is that the King of Hearts?” Bingo with a bit of a twist will be played on Tuesday, Aug. 10, with plenty of prizes to be won.

Karaoke: Tuesday, Aug. 10, 7:30 p.m., Horse Barn
As an alternative to Bingo, show your talent to friends, or just have a little sing-along fun.

Motorhome Exhibit Preview: Wednesday, August 11, 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Texas Tenors: Thursday, Aug, 12, 8 p.m., Juniper Arena
This is the top vocal group from the 2009 edition of NBC’s hit show “America’s Got Talent.” Friends John Hagen, JC Fisher, and Marcus Collins were following a dream when they walked onstage in Houston, Texas, to audition for the TV show. They found stardom a few months later as millions of people from around the world tuned in to see and hear them perform. The trio finished fourth overall, but in the process gained the respect and admiration of countless viewers who embraced their distinctive sound and artistic renditions of songs ranging from country and classical to pop and gospel.

Each individual brings something different to the group. John Hagen shows his vast classical music experience, having performed in numerous national operas and Broadway shows. JC Fisher, who was raised on a cattle ranch, adds the country and gospel influence. And Marcus Collins infuses the group with raw emotion and a contemporary pop sound.

Since their whirlwind rise to stardom, The Texas Tenors have performed throughout the United States. The group has appeared at the Starlite Theatre in Branson, Missouri, and will make a 21-stop tour of the United Kingdom in the fall. The trio also released its debut album, The Texas Tenors: Country Roots – Classical Sound. http://www.thetexastenors.com/

Live Bait: Friday, Aug. 13, 8 p.m., Juniper Arena
Live Bait, one of the top Jimmy Buffett tribute bands, will transform Juniper Arena into Margaritaville.

The five-member band, which has been together since 2001, will take the audience on a musical cruise around the Caribbean, reprising many of Jimmy Buffett’s most popular songs such as “Fins,” “Cheeseburger In Paradise,” “Come Monday,” and “Son Of A Sailor,” to name just a few. The group includes Al Spohn (guitar and vocals), Tom Lapp (keyboards, brass, steel drums, and vocals), Bill VanAllen (lead guitar and vocals), Gino Pehota (bass guitar and vocals), and Hank Wansaw (drums and percussion). Through their nine-year run, the band has developed a cohesive act that features tight vocal harmonies and expert musical skills to create an exciting event for all.

Besides the standard Parrot Head fare, the group will perform favorite beach and party tunes from artists such as Bob Marley, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, and even KC & The Sunshine Band. The show also will include plenty of audience participation with a snaking conga line, a chance to show how low you can limbo, leis for all, beach balls to bat around the stands, and plenty of giveaways. So get ready to have your “latitude” adjusted during this tropical excursion.

Forever Motown: Saturday, Aug. 14, 8 p.m., Juniper Arena
Prepare for a trip down memory lane with some of the great rhythm and blues songs from yesteryear as Forever Motown delivers the hits many of us have listened to for decades.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Motown record label featured an all-star lineup of the top R&B musicians in the world, including Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Gladys Knight and The Pips, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and many more. During Forever Motown, the audience will hear hits such as “My Girl,” “Reach Out,” “Shop Around,” “Stop! In The Name Of Love,” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” while the costumed cast glides across the stage in a precisely choreographed performance.

The group includes Dave and Sonia Revels, who deliver incredible performances of the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell hits “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” and “You’re All I Need To Get By.” Sam White will captivate the crowd with his rendition of Lionel Ritchie’s “Three Times A Lady,” and Fran Baltzer will electrify the audience with Gladys Knight and the Pips’ “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.” Joining them will be Cliff Dawson and Traci Robinson, both outstanding artists with a sound and personality that will take you back to early days of rock and roll.

So whether you want to hear a little Texas country with a splash of classical mixed in, are searching for a tropical beach party, or want to groove to the soulful sounds of yesteryear, the “Redmond Rocks! Feel The Excitement!” convention surely will provide plenty of opportunities for fun in the evening hours.

Daytime entertainment is open to all convention attendees, including public gate patrons. Daytime entertainment will be located in the entertainment tent in Mayfield Circle. Check back soon for a complete list of daytime entertainment.

Whether you are an experienced motorhomer or new to the lifestyle, you'll find that FMCA's convention seminars cover all of the bases. The seminar schedule will be listed in the convention program, which you will receive when you are parked. There will be over 120 seminars encompassing a wide variety of topics, including several technical classes on different aspects of motorhome maintenance, fuel efficiency, health, fitness, healthy cooking, travel, and many make-and-take craft classes. Take advantage of the opportunity to absorb the knowledge from accomplished professionals in the motorhome industry.

The seminars begin on Wednesday, August 11, and continue Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, August 12, 13, and 14. Seminars are not open to the general public.

The seminars are included in your registration fee. Seating is limited in some of the seminar areas and may fill up early. Be sure to wear your event badge.

A fee for materials will be charged for make-and-take craft classes and the RV Driving Safety Program. Registration for these sessions begins on Wednesday, August 11, at 7:00 a.m. in the Information Center, located in North Sister. Classes fill up quickly, so it is recommended you arrive early to the Information Center on Monday to register for crafts and the RV Driving Safety Program.

You can register on Wednesday, August 11, from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., to have your coach weighed by the RV Safety Education Foundation in the Information Center, located in North Sister or during exhibit hours in the supplier exhibits at the RV Safety Education Foundation booth.

Columbia Crossroad, Inc. will be offering optional sightseeing tours of Redmond and surrounding areas throughout the convention. A list of optional tours will also be included in your confirmation material.

Mail for family members sent to the address below will be sorted and available at the Information Center, located in North Sister beginning at noon on Wednesday, August 11.

Your Name and Member Number c/o Family Motor Coach Association P.O. Box 3000 Redmond, OR 97756

For General Delivery picked-up at the Post Office: Your Name Post Office c/o General Delivery Redmond, OR 97756

Absolutely! FMCA provides youth activities for specific age groups to socialize, enjoy pizza parties, play games, and just have fun. Be sure to register the children when you pre-register. Detailed information will be sent to you. You can also check out youth activities online at FMCA.com as the information becomes available.

Yes. Pets must be kept in the family parking areas unless they are providing service assistance. Pets are to be kept on a leash when outside your motorhome. Please be considerate of others and be a responsible pet owner by cleaning up after your pets. We also ask the pet owners to complete the pet registry located on the back of the locator card.

Segways, scooters, and similar motorized devices are permitted on grounds; however, they may not be used inside any convention exhibit hall, evening entertainment area, or any other indoor area during an FMCA convention due to large crowds.

Licensed vehicles are not permitted inside the exhibit areas and should also not be parked in areas that block fire evacuation.

Due to the number of people visiting indoor displays, only wheelchairs and personal mobility carts are permitted in these areas. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Golf carts are available for rent at the convention. More information on rental rates and procedures will be included in confirmation packets.

Information will be posted on FMCA’s web site: www.fmca.com/index.php/conventions/redmond as it becomes available.

Redmond's Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitor's Bureau also provides RV trip planning tools. Visit their Web site: www.visitredmondoregon.com.

All families must leave the grounds by 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 15. If you would like to stay longer, you will have to move to the RV Park and you must make arrangements at the RV Park Office. Rates are $32.00 plus tax ($35.20 total) with full hookups.

Beautiful! Be sure to pack your sunglasses! It's usually very pleasant in August in Redmond with mostly sunny days. The average high temperature in August is 85 degrees.

Give FMCA's Convention Staff a call Toll-Free 1-800-543-3622 or e-mail them at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The convention program will have lots of information about on-site services. Representatives from the Redmond Chamber of Commerce & CVB will be available in the Information Center to assist with questions relating to services available in the local area.