Our Mission: Text

BIGGER, BETTER, BOLDER

We started RC Fest to raise the importance of donating blood in 2011. The event was created for Production Manager Adam Munds' best friend Brandon to create the best event possible. Being a lifelong monster truck fan, RC Fest took a lot of queues from some of the top monster truck events in the country. Over ten years later, RC Fest still strives to hold its title of the Highest-Rated radio control event in the country while holding true to its original morals. Build the best event possible for the importance of donating blood.

RC Fest was first held on July 10 2011, it was a small festival that raised $148 for Impact Life. The event only had seven participants. The second event introduced the blood drive and merchandising including t-shirts and a raffle drawing. It also attracted sponsors for the first time, including Horizon Hobby, Monical's Pizza of Tolono, and Hobbcio. That event raised almost $1,000 and proved that RC Fest was here to stay.

RC Fest adopted a new slogan "Bigger, Better, Bolder" in 2014 and had to lead with that mentality. The event kicked off with Adam jumping the blood mobile with an R/C donated by Horizon Hobby. He also would receive an award as "The Most Innovative Blood Drive Coordinator in the State of Illinois"

RC Fest continued to grow in 2015 by introducing day two of the event, instead of being held at the park, it would be held at a nearby college to host seminars teaching the important lessons of RC. It was time to wind RC Fest down in 2016, it was the last event until 2020.

In 2020, RC Fest came back for the "Decade of Destruction" event for the first time having two days of competitions. The event went through many rounds of approvals to host, since the need for blood was at an all-time high. The Department of Homeland Security approved for RC Fest to host.

RC Fest 2021 was the turning page for the history of RC Fest, it was clear we outgrew the current facility and it was time to find the future home of RC Fest.

2022, RC Fest was welcomed with open arms by The City of Tuscola to host at Wimple Park. The park features a massive pond for boat racing and a wooded area for crawlers. The park is also about fifteen times bigger than the last facility.

RC Fest returned to Wimple Park in 2023 by including three championships, Bashers, Boating, and Crawlers would all be involved during the weekend. RC Fest also hosted a Monster Truck Experience where Against The Grain's Brad Shippert spoke on the importance of blood donation before crushing cars to wrap up Saturday's festival.

In 2024, RC FEST introduced Sand Racing, and while quite the undertaking it proved to be a success.

Adam also jumped Against The Grain Monster Truck with an RC modeled after the full-size truck.

RC Fest has come full circle, from imitating monster trucks with RC cars to having a monster truck crush cars, to needing blood transfusions to give almost 1000 people a second chance at life. This is RC Fest!