A new tradition for So We Bought A Van: travel to Quebec for Go-Van’s annual El Campo Van Festival.
While I travel full-time in my van, mostly around the United States, I still try to make international travel a priority. One specific international trip has become a tradition. Each year around September, I travel to Quebec, Canada and attend Go-Van’s annual El Campo Van Festival that takes place at Domaine du Radar. Each year is different, each year the event grows, and each year El Campo is increasingly more fun.
While I drove across the country in my own van last year to attend El Campo, that was not as feasible this year. Instead, I hopped on a flight, something I hardly ever do! Without my van, I obviously lacked any sort of housing. Because my van is my home, I truly prefer to travel with it so I can stay within comfort at all times. However, Domaine du Radar recently added a handful of beautiful tiny homes on their property, one of which I had the opportunity to stay in.
I have always been curious about stationary tiny homes and I can’t imagine a better first experience.
I had the pleasure of living in a “CoolBox” tiny home on the property for an entire week. The home included a bunk bed set with queen-sized mattresses, a complete kitchen, and a bathroom with indoor plumbing. To say it was a luxury compared to what I’m used to is an understatement. I meditated and did yoga on the grass in front of the house. I enjoyed a campfire in the designated pit 20 feet from my front door. Most importantly, I was able to cook meals from scratch throughout the entire week. Additionally, I was able to take a hot shower whenever I wanted, something that never happens when traveling via van. While I thoroughly missed my own home on wheels, the Cool Box tiny home allowed me to experience Quebec, Domaine du Radar, and El Campo in a totally new way.
This year, 273 vans and over 800 people gathered at Domaine du Radar for Go-Van’s fourth annual van gathering.
It was the largest Go-Van gathering to this date. Vanlifers and van-enthusiasts came together for an epic festival during this three-day campout. The weekend was filled with community, games, and entertainment. From competitive horseshoe to children’s shows to educational seminars, the weekend was nothing short of incredible.
Something that I find particularly special about this van gathering is the music.
Artists are booked for the entire weekend. It allows the game and seminar filled days to end with live performances from incredible artists. It is one of the major aspects that sets this gathering apart from others I’ve attended. Another incredibly inclusive fact about El Campo is Go-Van’s increasing efforts to grow the event internationally. Each year, Go-Van invites people from all over the world, no matter their vehicle or form of travel.
Another aspect I love about El Campo is Go-Van’s major efforts to grow the event in various inclusive and welcoming ways.
Last year, a new overloading section was added, as well as a tent campground for van-enthusiasts. The village of parked vans includes various groups, playing music and enjoying potluck style meals together. This year, they even added a skoolie parking section, which was paired with a “how-to” skoolie guide class on Saturday. All of these add-ons are extremely important to keep festivals welcoming to everybody, no matter their form of road travel.
Community events are important.
Connecting with like-minded people is uplifting and learning from others encourages self-growth. Each van gathering I attend, I leave more inspired and motivated to experience more. To sign off, I’ll leave you with this quote from Go-Van. “As a community-based platform, we strive to host a van gathering festival that welcomes everybody and encourages attendees to arrive as individuals but leave as family.” This trip is one I look forward to each year and I can’t wait to continue this tradition. I hope to see you there next year!
Photos by Jef A of @vanlife_qc, Phil Lavoie of @phillavoie__, and Karolina Krupa of @karolinak
