Earlier this year, it was announced that the September Adventure Overland Show at Stratford Upon Avon Racecourse would be the last one. The organisers explained that since the impact of covid, costs and regulations had risen to a level where the show was no longer financially viable, leaving them with no choice but to discontinue it.
The Adventure Overland Show has been a key event for many enthusiasts starting their overlanding journey. Its size and variety of exhibitors allowed newcomers to explore different styles of roof tents and gear available in the market. It provided an opportunity to connect with fellow overlanders, observe various vehicle setups and sleeping arrangements, and learn from presentations on overlanding and adventure by experienced overlanders and adventurers.
The camping area was also as integral to the show as the vendors, reminiscent of the Abenteuer Allrad Show in Bad Kissingen but on a smaller scale. Walking through the camp area, speaking to other visitors and looking / discussing real world pros and cons of the differing set ups.
Over the years, the show tried to expand its appeal with Spring / Summer Editions in April and September and a tagged on van-life show. But its success often hinged on weather conditions and being the UK at these times of year more often than not we got wind and rain. Poor weather led to a decrease in daily visitors, and vendors sometimes opted out if the forecast was unfavourable, anticipating low attendance.
This created a cycle where the absence of vendors deterred visitors, and adverse weather conditions further discouraged attendance, resulting in vendors not turning up or leaving early.
The show was also known for its somewhat chaotic organisation, with Tom being particularly infamous but endearing in his disorganisation. Despite some shortcomings, many attendees cherished their experiences with Tom.
One such experience we had was when we arrived as it was getting dark and the racecourse was already a mud bath with areas flooded and unusable. Tom was guiding each vehicle one by one in his orange truck to their camping area. When it came to our turn to follow, Tom had walked up to us then realised he had forgotten where his orange truck was. I pointed it out to him 300m away sat in the mud with the door open and the engine running. He ran back and got it then guided us through all the mud and water.
It was a day where we were very happy to have the 4 motion system and AT Tyres as without them we would ,most certainly have got stuck just like many other unfortunate souls.
For us like many, the show was more of a social gathering, allowing us to reunite with friends from past travels and fellow members of various groups, in our case the West Europe Region of Overland Bound. The most successful AO Show we witnessed was the June edition just after the end of covid restrictions, which saw a significant turnout of visitors and campers, likely due to the gorgeous weather and a renewed appreciation for outdoor events after the pandemic restrictions.
Looking ahead, there are rumours of a potential new Adventure Overland Show at a different location. While the certainty of this is unclear, it is our belief that the UK still has room for a large-scale show similar to the previous ones.
Although smaller, more localised events have emerged with only a couple of dozen attendees they appear to cater more to specific manufacturers and serve as social gatherings rather than comprehensive shows.
While longing for similar events in Scotland, the existing smaller shows do not fully satisfy the desire for a grand showcase.
So, enthusiasts eagerly await the possibility of a new major show rising from the ashes of the Adventure Overland Show to continue the legacy left by Tom and the organisers. Until then, the option remains to seek out larger shows in Europe such as the Abenteuer Allrad that we last visited in 2019. Certainly this is a show that any overlander should visit at least once.
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