I’ll admit it - I’m a camping and RV show addict. I have to go to at least one show every year (almost always 2 or 3) even though I have no intention of buying a new RV for several more years. When I tell most people how much I love to go to camper and RV shows they look at me like I just told them I collect toenail clippings.

My sister-in-law understands my obsession. She has it too. Actually, it’s her fault! She’s the one that convinced me to go camping and who dragged me to my first camping show several years ago (yes my eyes glazed over in pretend boredom when she first asked me).

For me, the best thing about the camping and RV shows I go to is that they are held in January, February, and March when the weather where I live is cold and snowy. Since I can’t afford to spend the winter months in Florida, I escape to camping and RV shows where I can pretend it’s summer and there’s no snow to shovel.

Plus, I love looking at the campers and RV’s on display. Yes, after several hours of wandering through campers and RV’s they all start to look the same. That’s when it’s time to check out the other vendors at the camping shows - the campground displays, the cool new camping products, and the tasty foods (I love free samples!). And, when my feet are tired and sore, I plunk down in a chair at one of the educational/informational seminars at the camping show and hopefully learn something new.

The most fun though is listening to other people at the show as they check out the units on display and make comments to each other. They are always the most interesting inside the big rigs (the class A motorhomes). The most common comment I hear in there is “I’d need to sell my house to buy this.” Boy do I understand that comment.

Although this time of year there are few, if any, camper shows because most of us are now out there enjoying our camping experiences; there will be shows again in the fall and early next year.

Typically most camping shows are held: January, February, March, September, and October. There are a few in April, May, and August; but hardly ever any in June, July, November, and December.