Are you getting excited yet? The Big Tent is up in Quartzsite and the show opens this Saturday. Whatever you could possibly want for your RV, you will find there along with some great food and product demonstrations. Now is a great time to upgrade your RV to LED lighting with so many choices available at the show. You may also want to consider tire safety and add tire monitors to your RV which you will also find at the show. Need a water filtration setup, new chairs, patio mat, a generator, RV insurance, a camping discount group, or a workamping job? It will all be there. I wonder what the *HOT* show product will be this year…

The Too Crazy Ladies are back so if you need any kind of badge or pin made up, go see them. I got my Escapees badge and work name badge from them. They have lots of fun pre-made pins too and great prices.

Chris and Charles Yust , the best insurance agents I have met with excellent personal service,  have arrived for the show. They are wonderful agents and saved me quite a lot of money on car and RV insurance. Quotes are free so check them out! Booth 426 center aisle in The Big Tent.

Look for food booths over at The Panorama and Rice Ranch that may have cheaper prices on burgers or tacos later in the afternoon. Mmm mmm good! Of course, you must have ice cream too.

As if the RV show isn’t enough to keep you busy, there are a lot of other events this week too. We’ve got steam engines on view at The Main Event. Tyson Wells Sell-A-Rama is kicking off. Not one but two hot air balloon festivals will get you high in Quartzsite and Lake Havasu City. Blythe is having a hoedown with its annual Bluegrass Music Festival while Lake Havasu is hosting a Volkswagen camporee with VW buses from all over the country being shown off along with a pancake breakfast and chili cook-off.  On Sunday, Quartzsfest starts in Quartzsite as amateur radio operators gather for “live demos and innovation in mobile antenna systems, mobile ham shacks, recreational vehicles, portable and mobile EMCOMM systems, off-the-grid living, alternative energy and radio education”.

Have fun this week! You can sleep when you are dead.

Hit & Miss Steam Engines
January 14 – January 17, 2016 The Main Event Showplace

Tyson Wells Sell-A-Rama
January 15 – January 24, 2016 Tyson Wells

MAIN EVENT Showplace Hot Air Balloon Festival
January 15 – January24, 2016 The Main Event Showplace

Blythe Annual Bluegrass Music Festival
January 15 – January 17, 2016 Colorado River Fairgrounds, Blythe, CA

Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair
January 15 – January 17, 2016 1040 McCulloch Blvd. North Lake Havasu City, AZ

Buses by the Bridge XX
January 15 – January 17, 2016 Lake Havasu State Park, Lot 4 (Windsor 4)

BIG TENT….SPORTS, VACATION & R.V. SHOW
January 16 – January 24, 2016 1/2 mile south of I-10 on Hwy. 95 from 9 am to 5 pm

Quartzfest Amateur Radio Operators Gathering
January 17 – January 23, 2016 Road Runner BLM near mile marker 99

Another busy weekend coming up and hopefully no rain if the weatherman is to be believed. Over at the Main Event on Friday the Food Truck Music Festival will be jamming with all sorts of “gourmet” food and music. Crossing my fingers for the tri-tip truck to be there then or at least during the RV show later. YUM! The festival continues on Saturday and while you are there you can check out the remote control planes on display too. Have you seen Quartzsite’s RC air field? It’s awesome! It looks just like an airport with runways. If you are interested, check out the Quartzsite RC Flyers Club. You are never too old to play!

Also on Saturday, you don’t want to miss the Hi Jolly Daze Parade and activities or the New Christie Minstrels who have been kind enough to schedule 2 shows in Quartzsite again this year at the QIA.

Food Truck Music Festival
January 8 – January10, 2016  The Main Event Showplace 12:00pm – 8:00pm

RC Planes Show
January 9, 2016 The Main Event Showplace

Hi Jolly Daze Parade
January 9, 2016 VFW Post 769 120 S. Palo Verde Ave

New Christie Minstrels
January 09, 2016 (two shows 2pm & 7pm) QIA Building

With the new year fast approaching and New Year’s Eve gatherings to attend, don’t forget more shows are opening in town and there are some fun activities planned for New Year’s Day. The Traders Market will be opening at Desert Gardens on weekends. The Prospectors Panorama, Annual International Gem, Mineral, & Jewelry Show, and Tyson Wells Rock & Gem Show are all coming to town.

On January 1st, get your heart pumping with the 2nd Annual New Years Q Mountain climb. If you survive, uh, when you are done, there’s a Renaissance Faire going on up in Lake Havasu City with jousters, jugglers, magicians, music, a Royal Ball, & more! For ticket info click here. If you have never been to a Renaissance Faire, you are in for a real treat! Don’t miss this chance to see what they are all about.

Traders Market
January – February, 2016 Friday – Sunday Desert Gardens Show Grounds 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

London Bridge Renaissance Faire
January 01 – January 03, 2016 Lake Havasu State Park, Lot 4 (Windsor Beach)

Annual International Gem, Mineral, & Jewelry Show
January 01 – February 28, 2016 DESERT GARDENS  I-10 (Exit 17), then east on Frontage Road

Prospectors Panorama
January 02 – January 15, 2016 35 W. Kuehn St.

Tyson Wells Rock & Gem Show
January 01 – January 10, 2016 Tyson Wells

Business is down in Quartzsite this year with many snowbirds either not returning or coming for shorter periods. Normally business would be starting to really hop about now. While unemployment is generally down in the U.S., those who work in the Texas oil fields or related industries have been hard hit and that would include gate guards like myself. The biggest hit though may be coming from Canada where the Canadian dollar value has fallen compared to the U.S. dollar thus making a trip south for the winter much more expensive. Many Canadians have decided to brave out the winter at home this year instead of coming down as usual. This is not good news for Quartzsite vendors who have been struggling themselves in recent years with higher booth and permit fees. For those of you who are going to Quartzsite this year, please be sure to give the vendors an extra special smile and be kind to them. Your patronage will be much appreciated.

Don’t forget there will still be lots of shopping and fun activities to do while you are there and, of course, fresh ice cream with apparently shorter lines!

That’s right! The great bearded one will be making his appearance on the main street through Quartzsite this Saturday in the Christmas Light Parade. Grab your chairs and blankets and go greet the big guy. Earlier in the day, there will be a Silent Auction at the QIA for Operation Hero Comfort. Stop by The Senior Center for breakfast from 7:00 am – 9:00 am and browse through their yard sale. Gold Star RV Park is also having a yard sale. Saturday evening, take your darling dancing at the QIA after the Christmas parade.

If you would like to help support the Quartzsite Chamber and Tourism Bureau, join them for their Grand Opening on Wednesday, December 9th or attend the Chamber Mixer that evening at The Main Event.

RIBBON Cutting & GRAND Opening
December 9, 2015 Quartzsite Chamber & Tourism 1240 W. Main St. 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Chamber MIXER
December 9, 2015 Main Event Show Place 6:00 pm – 9:00 am

Breakfast
December 12, 2015 Quartzsite Senior Center 7:00 am – 9:00 am

Yard/Garage Sale
December 12, 2015 Quartzsite Senior Center

Yard Sale
December 12, 2015 Gold Star Park 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Operation Hero Comfort Silent Auction
December 12, 2015 Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA)

Quartzsite Christmas Light Parade
December 12, 2015 Quartzsite Main 7:00 pm

Dance – Western Strings
December 12, 2015 Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA) 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm