Michigan Bus Bash 2006 September 1-3, 2006 Grand Rapids, Michigan

Host Company Gail Andrus Travel 400 Ann Street N.W., Suite 206 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504 Phone: (616) 363-9855 or (800) 532-2431 Web site: www.gailandrus.com

Host Hotel The Crowne Plaza. Grand Rapids 5700 28th Street S.E. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546 Reservations Desk: (616) 285-3610 Use Group Code MBB Register on line at http://www.crowneplaza.com/grr-airport Use Group Code MBB

Click here for a five-page magazine article from National Bus Trader in PDF format covering Michigan Bus Bash 2006.

Click here for a two-page Schedule of Events and Registration Form in PDF format.

Click here for a simple HTML Registration Form.

Our Bus Bash for 2006 will be held in and around Grand Rapids, Michigan. This is the 48th Bus Bash event since it was founded in 1979. It is also the first Bus Bash to be held in Michigan. The event will be hosted by Gail Andrus Travel in Grand Rapids with assistance from the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Our host hotel will be the Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids - Airport.  Parking for those who wish to live in their coaches will be provided in the Crowne Plazaís parking lot. Please make reservations with the Crowne Plaza.

1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. - The Bus Bash Registration and Information Desk will be open at the host hotel. Pick up your credentials and reconfirm your seats for Saturdayís tours. Late registrations will be accepted for Friday evening and Saturday activities as space permits. Those arriving by bus should park in the designated ìBus Bashî parking area.

6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. - The traditional Bus Bash Welcome Reception will be held at the Crowne Plaza. A cash bar reception will be followed by a buffet dinner. This is a great opportunity to renew old acquaintances and make new ones.

7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. - A buffet breakfast will be provided for Bus Bash registrants at the Crowne Plaza hotel.

9:00 a.m. - Fam Tour "A Grand Day in Grand Rapids" departs from the Crowne Plaza.  Our first stop of the day will be the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. From here, the tour will continue on to Robinette's Apple Haus & Gift Barn for lunch. After lunch, the tour continues with a stop at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Our last regular tour stop of the day will be at the Van Andel Museum Center. Our buses will then take us north to Coopersville for an early dinner.  Both tours will end in Coopersville at the Coopersville Farm Museum for dinner and entertainment.  Buses will depart at 7:30 pm to return to Grand Rapids.

9:30 a.m. - Our traditional garage tour departs from the Crowne Plaza. Our first stop of the morning will be at the local transit service provider in Grand Rapids known as The Rapid. From here we travel to nearby Holland, Michigan for a look at the garage of Cardinal Buses, Inc., a branch of the well-known company in Middlebury, Indiana. Lunch will be served at Cardinal Bus. We then travel north to Coopersville for a look at and a ride on the Coopersville & Marne Railway Company.  Both tours will meet at the Coopersville Farm Museum for dinner and entertainment. Buses will depart at 7:30 pm to return to Grand Rapids.

Breakfast on your own. The Crowne Plaza will have a buffet breakfast available.

9:00 a.m. - The Sunday public bus show and flea market will be held at the Crowne Plaza. The flea market will be set up inside the Crowne Plaza. Individuals should begin setting up their flea market tables and display buses should be parked in the designated lot adjacent to the hotel. Someone will be on hand to help park buses from 8:00 a.m. on.

10:00 a.m. - Bus Bash officially opens to the public. As soon as participating display buses are tagged, ballots will be made available to the public to vote. Voting will end at 3:00 p.m.

There is no charge to display a bus on Sunday and compete for the trophies and plaque. As usual, one trophy will be awarded to the display coach coming the greatest distance. Based on public vote, both first- and second-place trophies will be awarded in three categories: Modern Bus (commercially licensed, 25 years old or less), Antique (restored or preserved, 25 years old or more), and Converted. Public vote will also determine the winner of a plaque to be awarded to the best manufacturer demo coach on display.

Bus owners are encouraged to bring as many modern, converted and antique buses as possible to put on display. You are encouraged to bring your family, employees and gorup leaders to the event.

Noon - Lunch will be available from the Crowne Plaza.

3:00 p.m. - Balloting ends. The presentation of awards and trophies followed by photographs of the winner starts at 3:30 p.m. At 4:00 p.m. a photo bus departs to a special location where interested photographers may photograph the parade.

4:15 p.m. - The traditional bus cruise departs from the Bus Bash location. Anyone with a bus is welcome to join in.

The Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids - Airport is the headquarters hotel for Bus Bash Michigan 2006. The address is 5700 28th Street S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546 and the location is just north of the airport. The special Bus Bash room rate is $75 for single, double, triple or quad occupancy plus 13% tax. Leave I-96 at Exit 43B and turn East on 28th Street. Turn right at Kraft Ave., the first light, and then turn left to the hotel.

Attendees should make their own reservations with the Crowne Plaza. Phone (616) 285-3610 (Reservations Desk) Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time or after hours phone (800)-2CROWNE and ask for the Michigan Bus Bash Rate - Group Code MBB.

Arrangements have been made for attendees who would like to live in their own coaches. A portion of the parking area will be designated for this purpose. Please phone the Crowne Plaza reservation desk and let them know you are coming with a live-in coach so they know how many coaches are coming.

Registration fees are $50 for adults and $25 for children 12 and under. There will also be a small charge of $20 for each flea market table. Please use the dowloadable PDF registration form provided or send to: Gail Andrus Travel, 400 Ann Street N.W., Suite 206, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49504. Phone: (800) 532-2431 or (616) 363-9835.

The Gerald R. Ford International airport is located a short drive south of the Crowne Plaza Grand Rapids - Airport. It is served by several different airlines including American Eagle, Continental Express, Delta Connection/Comair, Midwest Connect, Northwest/Northwest Airlink, and United Airlines. The Crowne Plaza provides courtesy transportation between the airport and hotel.

Greyhound and Indian Trails buses serve the The Rapidís ìRapid Central Stationî connection station just south of downtown Grand Rapids as well as the nearby Amtrak Station. The Crowne Plaza will provide transportation to and from the hotel if you make arrangements in advance.