Busfest 2012 7 - 9 Sept Three Counties Showground, Malvern.

Online bookings will commence 1st January 2012 via the Busfest website.

NB: We are not attending Busfest 2012 as a club. Individual members are of course welcome and encouraged to attend, particularly if you haven't been before.

www.busfest.org

Please note this event was previously known as Vanfest.

We have been for the last two years - prices going up & up
Decided not to go this year, but we are planning to stay over at the following shows:
DubAid
Dazdub Do
Plymouth Volkfest
CamperJam
Kombi Sleepover
Well it's a start
Rooby Roo

Unless anything changes I doubt we will go to VanFest this year - it was good fun this year. As Scooby says, the price keeps going up and we felt it was just too big to see everything.

Likewise I'm afraid, been for last two years and enjoyed it, but costs etc have to pick and choose events. Definately going to Kombi sleepover tho'

For info purposes only, picked up a leaflet at Bristol Volksfest last weekend, Vanfest is now known as Busfest, link above still takes you to new site if anyone is interested.

We've decided to go along for a look on the Saturday as day visitors, and are camping on Friday night at the Caravan Club Blackmore site, just down the road at Hanley Swan. Will let you know what the renamed show is like.

Have stayed at Blackmore - it's nice.

I'll be there, but I think the campervans will be out with others unffortunately (...fortunately for the bank balance!) It's our local show - can see the showground from our garden, so it would be rude not to go!
Blackmore Park is a good site, also recommend the Marlbank - nice pub with campsite next door.

Danbury will be there. Come along and say hello

happycamperhols wrote:

also recommend the Marlbank - nice pub with campsite next door.

Had many a beer there after a day of hang gliding on the hill.

Hi to those going to this show over the weekend
Would be good to see some pics and your thoughts about the event this year
Rooby Roo

Sunny wrote:

happycamperhols wrote:

also recommend the Marlbank - nice pub with campsite next door.

Had many a beer there after a day of hang gliding on the hill.

Wow, would love to do that sometime - we always see the hang gliders over us, but I've never tried it. Is it very expensive?

happycamperhols wrote:

Wow, would love to do that sometime - we always see the hang gliders over us, but I've never tried it. Is it very expensive?

How big's a ball of string? Or How deep is your wallet?

When I started I think I was in the air for under £500, after I'd paid a hundred for my licence. That was glider, harness and vario. But quickly upgraded and bought extras like parachute (which I never used, though probably should have once), faster glider, upgraded instruments. Nowadays you're looking at a couple of grand for a glider, several hundred for a cheap harness, several hundred for a vario, and a monkey for a 'chute. Naturally this is bottom end. I've seen gliders well in xs of £5k and I think my last vario was £400 ten years ago so would dread to think what a top spec one is now.

It's not a cheap sport. But boy, it sure is an amazing one.

Any photos/stories from this weekend's event?

No one? It was that quiet then.

Give us a chance Boss!

As planned, we camped Friday night at Hanley Swan CC. Friday was one of the best days of 2012, so we just chilled around the bus, read, drank and cooked outside - lovely.

Saturday a.m. was foggy, and the roof and canopy were saturated, so we bundled stuff into bin liners and headed for the show. We didn't take many photos (for once!) because Busfest was basically a rerun of every Vanfest we've been to. Lots of trade, lots and lots of punters. If anything I'd say that the atmosphere was a bit more laid back and the show had a really good vibe.

We had a look at the teardrop on the Danbury stand as well as the special edition T2, and were impressed with both. Hopefully Danbury will make a few sales.

Anyway, here's some photos:

This is what summer is supposed to be like - you remember?





The day fields were rammed - good job we put Roobarb's roof up or we wouldn't have spotted him.



We found a little friend for Roobarb, trouble is that at £29K it was a bit dear as a "play bus"!



First time I've seen a non-franchise food van at Three Counties - we picked up chilli buritos at about 6p.m. and took them back to Roobarb for a picnic before heading home.



We only saw 3 other Brazi bays all day, and none of them to speak to.

As day visitors, I can't comment on what it was like to camp on site, but no doubt thanks to the excellent weather, Busfest appeared to be a storming success. If anyone fancies trying it as a club next year, we'd be up for it.

I love your matching parasol and glad you liked our new models too

Quote :

First time I've seen a non-franchise food van at Three Counties - we picked up chilli buritos at about 6p.m. and took them back to Roobarb for a picnic before heading home.

This guy was at Dubs in the Forest, and possibly Dubs at the Castle earlier this year too!

We had a chat to him whilst he was making up our order. Apparently the Busfest organisers contacted him and asked if he'd like to attend. They are obviously trying to get more of a CamperJam vibe going. They need MUD for that though

Thanks Roobarb.

Re: going as a Club, the major concern is the cost now. Part of the reason Vanfest was losing favour was it's Ryanair style additions that meant a weekend away, including the fuel, was heading towards a figure of a couple of hundred quid. That's bonkers - so it doesn't surprise me that the day visitor car parks were rammed.

However, maybe what we could look at is a stay nearby at Blackmore or similar and visiting the show en masse as a club, taking just a few Kombis down in a shuttle type way.

Tim. Have you asked if they would do anything special for you as a club to visit with the £ ? We would back this up if it helped? Jason

jj123vw wrote:

Tim. Have you asked if they would do anything special for you as a club to visit with the £ ? We would back this up if it helped? Jason

I haven't Jason no. I think their response would be that they'd then have to do it for every club, which ultimately would beg the question 'why not just lower the price generally.' They got greedy and now they're suffering the consequences by many accounts.

That sounds like a great idea Tim - at least you get electric hook-up and really good facilities at the camp site, plus an easy walk to a nice pub. And Castle Morton Common is just down the road for a drive out then circle the wagons and have a picnic if the weather is kind.

Yes that would work but....The world should see your Kombi's at the show and your passion for the Brazi Bay Its a great show but I hear what your saying about the pricing...