Alumafandango is done, and it was a big success.  I don’t think we’ve ever had an event quite like this.  Taking over the entire 100-site campground really made a difference to everyone.

The attendees liked it because everyone was part of the Airstream community, and the campground was filled with shining aluminum travel trailers.  I liked it for those reasons too, and because it made for easy photo-ops at every turn.

The campground management liked it because, as they said, ours was the nicest (and neatest) group that had ever visited the park.

It was just plain cool to have nothing but Airstreams (and Airstreamers) gathered for six nights/five days in this beautiful place up in California’s historic gold country.

The program was a hit too.  We did daily workshops on things like battery maintenance, propane systems, PEX plumbing, and tire changing—and all of them were very well attended.  (We’ll do even more workshops at the next Alumapalooza in Ohio.)  Eleanor did popular sushi-making demonstration, with hands-on workshop.

We had several other speakers, pool parties, cookouts, and two nights of entertainment including an evening parking lot performance by Antsy McClain.

(Antsy had no problem doing a show under the stars on asphalt. He said, “Waylon Jennings told me, ‘You’ve never done your last gig on a flatbed truck or at a VFW dinner’.”) Antsy always puts on a terrific performance, and we love having him at our events.

Of course we’re beat after running the event (with Brett), so when everyone else was going home happy and relaxed we just wanted to lie down for a while.

Alumafandango 2016 marks the 20th event I’ve run with Brett.  We started doing this eight years ago with Vintage Trailer Jam 2008, and since then we’ve done two VTJs, seven Paloozas, four Fandangos, three Fiestas, two Flamingos, and two Palm Springs Modernism Week Vintage Trailer Shows. (Plus, I’ve done two Tucson Modernism Week Vintage Trailer Shows by myself.)  It has been a heck of an adventure … and we hope to keep it going for quite a while longer!