Ever since pioneers arrived alongside wagons, Oregonians have been infatuated with homes on wheels, especially personalized camper trailers rolling with eye-catching character, from kitschy to cute.

Airstream founder Wally Byam was born in Baker City. The state’s other bragging rights in mobile abodes: Holiday House modern travel trailers were dreamed up by Medford’s David Holmes of Harry & David fruit basket fame, the canned ham-shape Alohas started in — you guessed it — Aloha, and Timberlines hailed from Sandy.

Fast forward a handful of decades to find the new fiberglass silver-bullet Nest by Airstream originated in Bend.

Visitors to Oregon’s wine country and the coast can rest their heads inside gleaming getaways year-round, but on Oct. 19 they can also hop inside 60 cool caravans converging in Florence for the second annual Goin’ With the Flo Vintage Trailer Event.

Will there be pink flamingos posing in front of capsule- or teardrop-shaped shelters? Sure, as well as a Halloween-themed trailer and Solarity Puppetry, a solar-powered literacy and puppet show on wheels.

The free event, from noon to 3 p.m. on Oct. 19, takes place at the Port of Siuslaw Campground in Old Town Florence.

Owners of highly personalized campers will arrive in the town, overlooking the Siuslaw River, on Oct. 18. They will park and open their doors on Oct. 19, then chug to their next stop on Oct. 20.

The on-the-go homes range in style from elegant to eclectic, from real retro “head-turners” to works in progress, says Terry Abeyta, who invented the event with Dan Hankins.

Abeyta and Hankins jumped into the camper culture a few years ago and landed in a field of fun.

At their Exploding Whale Beach Camp in Heceta Beach, they rent aluminum cocoons: a 1965 Streamline and two Airstreams, made in 1965 and 1981.

“We’re not here to be serious,” Abeyta says, underscoring that vintage camping is a relaxing alternative to traditional lodging.

After the couple met fellow “trailer nerds” at roaming events, they decided last year to add one more stop onto the end of the traditional rally season.

They see rallies and trailer tours as a way to celebrate the American custom of road tripping and camping in style, and to rev up interest so “these interesting historical rigs” stay “on the road and out of junkyards,“ she says.

“A lot of love, thought and creativity, blood, sweat and often tears go into restoring them,” says Abeyta, adding that owners have to hunt for authentic parts and theme decor at thrift shops and on trailer forums.