2020 Ocala RV Show Behind the Scenes
Being able to attend the final day of setups and the opening day at the 2020 Ocala RV Show was a real treat. I was amazed that this huge 4-day expo with hundreds of RVs and massive tents full of suppliers was all brought to an empty field only a few days before the event.
This is the field from Google Earth. Notice the small dot circled in red? That is the billboard that I mention in the Ocala RV Show Setup Day video. The buildings on the left of the photo are horse barns and they are big but look like toys in this photo. 
To fill a space this size with RVs takes scores of people from eleven dealerships multiple days of driving and hauling inventory. The units are initially placed helter-skelter around the outside of the field while the FRVTA Show Team is marking off each dealer’s boundary lines. The dealers then have to carefully place the RVs within their designated areas to fit the maximum amount of RVs in their space but still maintain safe walkways throughout. This is a complex process handled with huge machinery!
This is used to move the trailers and fifth wheels!
As the RVs are set up, the cleaning crews start working their way around the facility polishing and preparing the units for show. Meanwhile, other teams are rolling out carpets and fencing in the facility. The huge Supplier Tent is erected and the booths created inside then the Concession Tent is created. The Show Team has to setup flags throughout the parking area to give guests an idea of where to park. All of this is done over a three-day period working from dawn until after dark. Unfortunately, we had rainstorms for most of the day on Wednesday but the teams couldn’t stop as they had to be ready for opening day on Thursday morning!
An hour before the gates opened at the Ocala RV Show, units were still being cleaned, signs setup and suppliers moving in. It was down to the wire but everything was ready to go at 9 am when the first attendees walked through the door!
The Supplier Tent after the gates opened!
It was chilly opening morning as the front had just blown through but the sun was shining and by lunchtime the weather was gorgeous! Luckily, the Horse Park has great drainage and there wasn’t any mud from the storms the night before so everyone was able to enjoy viewing the RVs with no issues.
There were so many RVs here that it would be impossible to see them all in one day! I spent the morning tracking down unusual floorplans or features to create the Cool New RV’s at the Ocala RV Show video. This was a fun project but it was hard to narrow it down to the ones in the video. There were so many RVs, classes, and options available that I really could have filmed all of them!
The view down one of the main walkways.
The videos that I made of the Ocala RV Show were a ton of work but I think they really give you a sense of what the show is all about. If you are thinking about attending the show or interested in how it was created, take a few minutes to watch them both. And please, make sure to hit the thumbs up if you enjoyed the videos and please SUBSCRIBE! We have a ton more great content for RVers that we are working on including all of the RV Shows across the state, the Florida RV Supershow, campgrounds, and RV and camping tips.
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