California MVCC 2021 Plymouth meet info

[papakb]

Addendum 1/3/21: While we are anticipating the event will happen at this point we are asking everyone wishing to attend to fill in an application and sent it in. The address is on the application. We think it would be better to hold off on any payments until the March '21 time frame when we will have a better idea whether or not the event will happen. This way there isn't money out there that would need to be refunded should the state cancell it.

The latest confirmed dates for the April 2021 Plymouth meet are April 28th (Wed) thru May 1st (Sat). All reservations will again be done thru JoAnn Lesser and an application sheet will be published in an upcoming Newsletter. The application can also be downloaded from the MVCC website at www.mvccnews.net

If you had a reservation for the April 2020 meet your name will automatically be transferred to the 2021 schedule. We've received our new 49er site allocations and they've tried to do a better job of grouping MVCC members together. If for some reason the space you were assigned in 2020 isn't on the new allocation list JoAnn will do her best to make sure you will be relocated to an equivalent sized site. Beginning in January we'll be contacting you with your site number and at that time you can contact the 49er to make your payment. We'll also notify the 49er of any site changes we make so they'll be expecting your call, please don't call the resort and ask them to move you.

A change for this year for the 49er Resort is the MVCC will only be doing the reservations and not collecting any money for them. That will be done by the 49er folks. All sites in the Fairgrounds will remain the same and the MVCC will still be collecting all payments for the Fairgrounds sites.

As additional information becomes available it will be in the published in the MVCCNews and on the MVCC website..

Kurt Lesser

 

[papakb]

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[Major Asstyrd]

A few points about this event.... It is open to anybody, it's not just a MVCC member event. And it is not only a campout which is what that campsite reservation form Kurt mentioned is for. Day visitors are welcome at no charge and parking is free. The parking lot and entrance to the fairgrounds tent campground is at 18400 Empire Street in Plymouth. Commute from home or hotel and those driving MVs will be pointed to a display parking spot inside the event. You don't have to park it in the parking lot. All MVs are welcome, any condition or country of origin, and no registration is required.

This is the continuation of the Spring meet in North-Central California that started with the Patterson Rally, it moved to Big Bear Park in Waterford, then to Tower Park Resort. 13 years at each venue. Then it went to Petaluma for two years after the owners of Tower Park shrunk the number of sites and built too many cabins. Then we went to Petaluma KOA for two years which was bad for visitors not driving in with MVs, then the MVCC did the deals in Plymouth with the 49er Village RV Resort and adjacent Amador County Fairgrounds for 2019. This place checks nearly all boxes and is in a scenic tourist area great for MV driving. For once we have plenty of visitor parking.

Some people arrive Tuesday to set up camp and sales tables if they have them, then watch the buildup. Our group discount at the RV Village is good for several days before and after our dates and some show up Sunday or Monday. Sunday May 2 is a pull out day, not a good show day. Four night minimum if staying at the 49er in our discounted block of sites and no tent camping there. Tents and truck-camping is on the fairgrounds side with no minimum stay there. No RVs or travel trailers allowed at the fairgrounds. There is a foot path between the two sides of the event. Assume no visitor parking is available inside the 49er RV Village so don't drive in to look. You will clog the roads.

Vendors must rent a campsite on either side of the venue.

There will be themed MV showcases in the arena next to the tent campground and parking lot. This was the jeep showcase in 2019. 68 jeeps plus another 10 or 12 more in camp that didn't join the display. The path into the RV Village is just out of view on the left, next to the parking lot, and another path goes around the arena to the tent campground to the right..


Here is a typical scene at the RV Village. Collectibles being aired out. Plenty of shade trees are in the RV Village. Bring your own shade at the fairgrounds.


This is a winery tourism area. There are over 40 in the county, most near Plymouth. The historic old west, gold rush towns along Highway 49 feature dozens of antique stores and there are other tourist stops such as mine tours.

Official details will be at www.MVCCNews.net soon.

 

[bigmike]

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[Major Asstyrd]

Kurt contacted me to point out these meets actually started in the 1970s in Buttonwillow and he went to the 1977 one. That was 8 years before I got into the hobby and club. I was aware that there were events in the San Joaquin Valley before Patterson, when people like John Anderson, Dana Zwang, and Roy Hamilton were active. And youngsters Randy Canova and Kurt who are still showing up. I don't if these events were big like Patterson was by the mid-1980s. Car clubs are inherently local and local events can become regional events then multi-state, national, and international if there is enough of a draw and advertising. By the mid-'80s the Patterson meet was in the multi-state category and for maybe 20 years this Spring meet has been international for some. The California club had a different name than California Chapter, Military Vehicle Collectors Club which came around in the late 1970s or early 1980s when the MVCC had expanded east to be a national club. Later they became the International MVCC for a year or two to acknowledge the big Italian affiliate, then they incorporated under the name MVPA, and we did the same in CA changing from CCMVCC to Military Vehicle Collectors of California. That was a perfect name because we could keep the MVCC acronym alive and in fact received the rights to use the IMVCC/MVPA's triangle "armored forces" - based logo.

I don't mean to hijack Kurt's important post about the camping reservation process for the next meet but I'm not going to restaurants or doing flying trips for work or fun, so might as well offer some historical context with the general info.

Tip to other event promoters - if you want it to grow to be big, base it on a swap meet. Make it work for sellers, buyers, and newbies.