Winnebago Grand National Rally – Forest City, IA

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The Winnebago Grand National Rally will take place in Forest City, Iowa through the week of July 25th, 2021. The theme for this year’s rally is “Road Trip to Hawaii”. This is an annual event put on by Winnebago Industries to gather WIT members. WIT stands for Winnebago International Travelers and is a club for like-minded RV travelers. The club was initiated for members to create friendships, receive special promotions, and take part in memorable events. To attend this convention you must arrive in a Winnebago-built vehicle. The rally events officially start Monday, July 26th, but all units must be parked by Sunday, the 25th. Every year, the event expects around 1,400 RVs. 

The Grand National Rally has been taking place for over 50 years with great success. This year will be the celebration of the 51st GNR! Winnebago Industries was created by John K. Hanson because he saw a need for jobs in the Forest City area. He loved traveling in his family’s trailer and ran with the idea of producing his own brand of RV. 1958 was the year that production started and it has been a success worldwide since then. The 1960s embraced the RV lifestyle, and Winnebago took advantage of this boom. The popularity produced a need for some sort of community for this trending lifestyle. That is how WIT (Winnebago International Travelers) got its start. The first WIT rally took place in 1966 with 155 vehicles in attendance. At the end of the 1960s, Winnebago climbed to the top spot for motorhome manufacturing nationwide. Winnebago Industries and WIT Club have found great success and are now household names. For more insights on Winnebago’s history and production, check out USAdventureRV.com.

Although the official event schedule has not yet been released, there are a few indicators of what’s going to be offered. They have provided information on what will come included with registration. You’ll have the ability to camp up to 8 nights on the campgrounds. These dates are July 25th (the first day of the rally) until August 1st. There will be 3 nights with featured entertainment. The entertainment has not to be disclosed yet, but it could be anything from bands, to comedians, to magicians, to so much more. They offer 4 full days of exhibits and seminars. This can include the displays of newly released products and will give you opportunities to purchase items. There will also be learning opportunities and teaching sessions from RV experts. Another opportunity is going to be the featured video tours of the Winnebago factories. These tours will give you an inside look at how and where your RV is built and repaired. The Winnebago employees and team members will be scattered around the event throughout the whole week. They are available to answer any questions, provide helpful information, and have fun interacting with the customers that they provide for every day! Since the theme of this year’s rally is “Road Trip to Hawaii”, there will be is a special event on Wednesday, July 28th. The rally will be hosting a traditional luau meal with traditional food, festivities, performances, and more. 

This event takes place in Forest City, Iowa every year as it is the home to Winnebago. The town of Forest City hosts their annual town celebration called “Puckerbrush Days”. WIT members are highly encouraged to attend this celebration with the town members. The rally starts on July 25th this year and Puckerbrush lands on July 23rd and 24th. Arrive in town just a few days early to settle into Forest City, celebrate Puckerbrush Days, and meet up with friends! Puckerbrush 2021 will include Battle of the Businesses, the Community Run/Walk, the annual parade, fireworks, and more. Besides Puckerbrush Days, Forest City and the surrounding areas are full of additional attractions and adventures. Forest City is home to Bear Creek Golf Course. This 18 hole course encourages all WIT visitors to play a round of golf; don’t forget to pack your clubs! Pilot Knob State Park is a great scenic area to check out. The park is home to hiking trails, lakes, an amphitheater, a campground, and a well-known observation tower. This tower stands 30 feet tall at the peak of a hill. Once you get to the top, you can see for miles. Check out Clear Lake, which is a 30-minute drive from Forest City. The Clear Lake area gets very popular during the summer months. It has various amenities for visitors including boat access and rentals, a pier, trails, campsites, a beach, fishing access, picnic/park areas, among much more. The town of Clear Lake welcomes all visitors. Check out the main street shops and well-known local restaurants. A quick Google search around the Forest City area will provide you with an abundance of other destinations, so don’t be afraid to try that out as well! 

For more information on the Winnebago Grand National Rally, check out this link: https://www.winnebago.com/owners/grand-national-rally. Make sure to sign up as soon as you can; don’t waste any time!

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