BG welcomes Family Motor Coach Association

0

The Bowling Green Convention & Visitors Bureau in conjunction with its sponsors hosted a
"Summer Bash" on Sunday in downtown Bowling Green. The event served as a welcoming to the
members of the Family Motor Coach Association who are holding their convention here this week.
Wendy Stram of the CVB indicated they were very enthusiastic about the FMCA family members and community
members who "attended in full force."
She estimates there were several thousand people in attendance, noting it was absolutely
shoulder-to-shoulder from 1 to 3 p.m.
"The businesses were very pleased, both retail and restaurants," Stram added.
According to Robin Gould, media coordinator with the motor coach group, more than 2,600 coaches are
expected this week, with most of them already in the city this morning.
She indicated there are probably some stragglers still arriving.
"Our family members are always happy when a community embraces them and Bowling Green has certainly
done that," Gould said this morning.
The convention is expecting to draw up to 10,000 people.
The welcoming event was staged on South Main Street and featured an entertainment tent, a picnic table
tent and a vendor tent. The latter featured sponsors as well as promotional displays from various venues
around Ohio.
In addition there were food vendors stationed in one of the South Main parking areas.
Downtown restaurants were encouraged to offer a carry-out menu to allow those attending to take the food
to the picnic tent. Many of the downtown retail businesses held sidewalk sales.
Stram said many of the FMCA members indicated this was the first community to host a welcoming event for
them.
"They were impressed with that," she said.
Corinn Shemak, coordinator of events for the host, Bowling Green State University, said she heard nothing
but positive remarks.
"They really were very impressed," Shemnak said noting how many people were enjoying the
"Perks Card," which offered the visitors discounts and specials around town. She indicated
many of the family coach members had the card right with their name badges.
Front page caption: View of a portion of the gathering from BGSU’s Doyt Perry Stadium Sunday afternoon.
(Andrew Weber/Sentinel-Tribune)

No posts to display