July 2007
Families
All pre-registered families will be assigned a day and time of admittance based on the date their registration is received at FMCA headquarters in Cincinnati. Convention parking is divided equally over a three-day period. National officers, member staff, parking layout crew, volunteers, committee members, past national officers, and Governing Board are assigned early admittance. All families are encouraged to register for the convention by the early-bird registration date of July 23, 2007, to allow adequate time to mail confirmation packets with proper date-of-entry credentials.
Families arriving at Redmond with credentials for the date and time specified should follow the directions in the confirmation materials. The Holding Area will serve as additional coach parking for families, who will receive coffee and doughnuts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, as well as transportation services to and from the fairgrounds.
Families who arrive prior to their specified date and time of arrival should report to the official Holding Area located at Helmholtz Way and Coyote Avenue to wait until their assigned time for entry. (See directions on page 92 of this issue, or online at FMCA.com.) Families arriving on-grounds, including the official Holding Area, prior to their assigned date of entry will be assessed an early arrival fee of $15 per night for dry camping.
Families who arrive at Redmond later than the date and time specified on their official window credential should report to the official Holding Area at Helmholtz Way and Coyote Avenue. From there, families will be directed by the parking crew to their parking area at the earliest possible time.
Families who pre-register and who receive August 13, 2007, date-of-entry credentials for Redmond should arrive prior to noon on Monday, August 13, 2007. All families who register by the deadline date of July 23, 2007, are guaranteed parking at the convention site.
Caravans
Caravan reservations will be accepted for Saturday or Sunday, August 11 or 12; caravans will not be accepted on Monday, August 13. Your assistance with caravan reservations and scheduling is appreciated.
When a caravan leader makes the group’s reservation, he or she will be sent the appropriate number of orange caravan credentials. The caravan leader distributes one caravan credential to each coach. This caravan credential should be displayed in the coach window along with the date-of-entry card the family member received when registering for the convention. Caravan families should enter the grounds according to the caravan reservation time and not according to the date-of-entry credential sent with the confirmation materials. Families arriving as part of a caravan must be pre-registered.
A caravan reservation guarantees a parking space at the convention site, including all parking areas arranged by FMCA. A caravan reservation means that members of a caravan will be parked together as a group. Caravan reservation “assigned time” means that a caravan should arrive at the convention site at the specified time so the parking staff can park the group as efficiently as possible. Families arriving in a registered caravan earlier than their original date-of-entry credential will not be assessed the $15 early arrival charge.
Will Call
Many families request that FMCA not mail their confirmation packets and hold their credentials at Will Call. Will Call will be located at the convention Holding Area at Helmholtz Way and Coyote Avenue. In Redmond, packets may be picked up at the Holding Area Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, August 10, 11, 12, and 13, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. After convention-goers pick up their packets, they should remain in the Holding Area until their appointed entry time.
On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, August 14, 15, and 16, beginning at 8:00 a.m. each day, Will Call packets may be picked up at the FMCA Information Center located in the High Desert Activity Center at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo.
Families picking up Will Call packets for large groups may be asked to submit their list and return later to pick them up.
Families who have pre-registered for volunteer, handicap, Governing Board, committee, or past national officer parking and who request that confirmation packets be held at Will Call are instructed to report directly to the Deschutes County Fair and Expo for parking, and then proceed to the FMCA Convention Headquarters Office located in North Sister to pick up their confirmation materials. Confirmation packets may be picked up beginning Friday, August 10.
Early Arrival Fees
Family and commercial members arriving on-grounds for the Redmond convention, including the official Holding Area, prior to their assigned date of entry, will be assessed an early arrival fee of $15 per night for dry camping. Upon collection of this early arrival fee, a special early arrival credential will be issued that must be displayed in the front window of the coach. Cash or check will be accepted as payment.
Convention Parking Definitions
Caravan
A caravan is a group of family members who wish to enter the convention grounds at the same time and park together. Caravans must be scheduled through the national office by calling (800) 543-3622. Caravans are scheduled on a first-come, first-parked basis. A minimum of 10 coaches is required to establish a caravan.
Daily Passport
A daily passport may be purchased at the Public Gate ticket location at the Galloway Gate ticket office at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo. This special badge will permit members and potential members to attend all convention activities, including seminars and evening entertainment, for the day purchased. Car parking for daily passport patrons will be available at Lot 12 at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo. Daily Passport and Public Gate patrons are asked to enter the fairgrounds at the Mt. Hood Drive entrance, and then be directed to Lot 12 for parking.
Day Pass
A day pass is available for family members and the general public to view coach displays and the supplier-component displays, as well as daytime entertainment and selected seminars only. The day pass is sold at the Public Gate ticket location at the Galloway Gate ticket office and is generally available only for the day purchased. Public parking will be available at Lot 12.
Gate Registration
Family members who have not pre-registered may do so on-site at the Holding Area registration office if space is available following the completion of general parking. Family members registering on-site will be parked on a first-come, first-served basis, on Monday afternoon, August 13, 2007, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
Holding Area
Families who arrive at the convention site earlier than permitted according to their entry credentials may stay at the Holding Area until their appointed time to enter the grounds. When it is time to enter the grounds, the parking crew will assist them in moving to their final parking space. An early arrival fee of $15 per night will be assessed to families arriving at the Holding Area prior to their assigned day of entry.
The Holding Area is also a place to meet friends who wish to park together. In order to park together, convention attendees must arrive together. If members of a group have a later entry date than other members in their group, they all must enter on the later entry date. The best way to park with friends and avoid a longer wait in the Holding Area is to send registrations to FMCA in the same envelope with a note requesting identical date-of-entry credentials. The Holding Area does not have sufficient space for caravans to meet and reassemble. Please call the FMCA national office for assistance in locating a site.
In Redmond, the Holding Area will be located at the corner of Helmholtz Way and Coyote Avenue.
Passport Registration
A passport registration entitles the convention attendee to all convention services and activities with the exception of overnight on-site parking of a motorhome. Passport registrants often choose to stay at a local campground or a friend’s home and drive their towed vehicle to the convention site. Parking for passport registrants will be located at Lot 12 at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo. Passport patrons should enter the fairgrounds using the Mt. Hood Drive entrance. Due to restrictions on parking at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo, passport coaches cannot be accommodated. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Will Call
Due to travel plans or the time the registration was made for the convention, families may request that confirmation materials be held at the convention site for pickup. General Will Call for families will be at the Holding Area. Volunteers, handicap, caravans, Governing Board, past national officers, and committees have been instructed to pick up Will Call packets at the FMCA Convention Office, located in North Sister.