Over, overland saturation SoCal Expo

[Greg]

I'm surprised they even knew it competed. The last time I looked at going to an Expo (PNW 2022, IIRC), one of the things that convinced me not to go was that they hadn't (and couldn't, when asked directly) tell anyone what training seminars/panels would be offered at the event. (And this was less than a month out.) It was very clear that the offering of such things was beyond a secondary concern.

By contrast, for my first Overland Expo (2011), I had received a "course catalog" more than two months in advance - I was able to strategically build up a whole weekend's schedule and pre-register for all the classes I had really wanted to take.

Because email is awesome, I can still reference my syllabus - tell me if you think one could have a weekend like this at a "modern" Expo:

Friday:
Setting Up an On-Board Air System
Hands-On Training Pavilion I (Purple)
Speaker: Martyn Davies, Adventure Trailers

Basic Winching: What to know before you start
Overland Skills Course - Green Flag
Speaker: Land Rover Camel Trophy Team

Intro to Overland Vehicle Basics
Vehicle Basics Area
Speaker: Overland Expo Training Team (turns out to have been Jonathan Hanson)

Recovery Techniques with a Winch
Recovery Area - Orange Flag
Speaker: Thór Jónssen, Viking Off-road, and Nathan Hindman, Pangaea Expeditions

First Aid Kits
Hands-On Training Pavilion I (Purple)
Speaker: RMI and/or Kristina Hall

Saturday:
The Organized Overlander: Packing lists and packing
Seminar Room I
Speaker: Stephanie Hackney

Overland Driving Skills & Awareness - Co-Ed - Report to the Overland Skills Course staging area (green flag)
Overland Skills Course - Green Flag
Speaker: Overland Expo / Land Rover Training Team

One Pan Cooking and Provisioning (no fridge or by motorcycle)
Hands-On Training Pavilion I (Purple)
Speaker: Ara Gureghian

Reluctant Overlanders: Getting Your Partner to Go
Seminar Room I
Speaker: Connie Rodman

Tire Repair
Hands-On Training Pavilion I (Purple)
Speaker: Martyn Davies, Adventure Trailers

Sunday:
Food Storage & Provisioning for Overland Travel by Vehicle
Seminar Room I
Speaker: Connie Rodman

Experts Panel: Overlanding With Kids
Roundtable Pavillion
Speaker: Brooke and Mark Stephens, Rover Divas, Jay Shapiro & Alice Gugalev


And that does not include the morning socials, evening film festivals, etc.

Suffice to say, the value proposition for Expo has changed pretty significantly...

2016 Expo East Program Guide

 

[Dave]

No, that would not happen today.

Our desription in short was "what to pack in your field repair kit" "MacGyver box get home kit", what was posted to the public was "how to pack your Zarges box for extended trip"

Which is kind of a big F U to you as a presenter who no doubt invested time and money to be available for THEIR EVENT. An event which they depend on YOU as part of the draw for ticket sales.

 

[WashingtonTaco]

Which is kind of a big F U to you as a presenter who no doubt invested time and money to be available for THEIR EVENT. An event which they depend on YOU as part of the draw for ticket sales.

Exactly!

We are going to be more tactical which booth we work in 2025, self advertise on a dissplay board. We were not the only booth, trainers to experience this.

 

[Dave]

Exactly!

We are going to be more tactical which booth we work in 2025, self advertise on a dissplay board. We were not the only booth, trainers to experience this.

Honestly Mike, I don’t understand why companies keep going back especially given the track record of over promising and under delivering that this event has earned over the last 5-6 years.