FARMINGTON - Good Sam Club campers started arriving Tuesday for the annual Farmington spring Samboree to be held Friday through Sunday at the Farmington Fairgrounds.

"When those rigs roll into town, something good is going to happen," said Martin Qualey, husband of Good Sam State Director Diane Qualey, on Thursday. The Qualeys are from Limington.

A weekend full of fun events has been planned for the campers starting with a spin on this year's theme, "So you think you know Maine," Diane Qualey said.

On Friday, Bud Sawyer will lead the opening night game show and music with Lennie Emery is also planned, along with two days of back-to-back activities, she added.

Early arrivals Rochelle and Paul LeBel of Litchfield and friends Elton and Judy Merrill of Sabattus were enjoying some sun behind their camper after arriving Thursday morning.

"We're here to have a good time. The guys play horseshoes and we go to whatever's going on. ... they keep you busy," said Rochelle LeBel.

Despite fuel concerns, Qualey was expecting a good turnout this weekend with up to 400 people attending. Camper pre-registrations were down from last year but the phone has been ringing with calls from campers planning to attend, she said.

Some motor homes get only five to 10 miles to a gallon, said staff member Dick Salsbury from Ellsworth as he greeted the rigs pulling in Thursday. But that wasn't stopping campers from coming to see old friends and make new ones, he added.

"But socializing is only part of the weekend," Qualey said. "This is a banner year for letting people know all the good things done by the club."

Many of the activities are Good Sam fundraisers to support the Make a Wish Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, seeing-eye dogs and food pantries. Some of the 16 individual chapters hold activities over the weekend to raise money for local organizations in their towns, she added.