So here are some thoughts from someone who attended this event for the first time...
Let me start by saying this was a fun and fantastic event! If you can find the time to go then please, please attend next year. There was a great turnout with FJ's stock to built and attendees from super expert to novice (me). Florence is a nice coastal town with a number of shops and restaurants along with any services you may require short of a Toyota dealership. Places to stay range from camping to B&B's to home rentals so there is quite the variety.
Things to consider as a first-time attendee to have for your FJ would be:
Decent off road/all-terrain tires. The stock street tires may be suitable but I wouldn't recommend them.
Proper deflators for your tires. You will need to air down to around 18 lbs. so deflators are handy. I bought an ARB deflator and didn't check it before the event. Big mistake! The darn thing had a flaw and wouldn't reinstall the valve core! Thank goodness fellow attendees were there to help and I had the foresight to bring some extra valve cores (yeah, don't ask me why I did that and didn't bother to check the ARB deflator). Staun deflators (check eBay) are a better choice and quite slick to use (my newly ordered set arrive today) and thank you to wearin_oakleys for turning me on to them.
Compressor. Now that your tires are super spongey from airing down it would be smart to have a compressor. Or you can do what I did and drive around aired down and air back up in town at the end of the event. If you purchase a compressor, look at the Viair or ARB options out there.
CB radio. We brought a Midland 75-822. It came in handy. We didn't have the fancy antenna mounts and cool disconnect stuff complete before the trip. You don't have to have all that stuff but it sure helps with range. No matter what, get one of these inexpensive CB's and if you can, do the whole antenna hook up thingy. You will be glad you did. On the trail, communication is important. Especially if you get lost wandering off on your own and have to call with, "Hey, uh I'm stuck on this dune over here that's shaped like a dune... help.)
Flag and whip. Along with an Oregon ORV Permit it is required. Prices range from cheap to spendy. Mounts for the whip range from duct tape to billet aluminum. You choose. Just make sure the flag is 9' above the ground per Oregon rules. You NEED people to see you coming. Don't skip the ORV permit. Oregon Parks folks are out and about. They WILL ticket you.
Shovel, recovery strap, shackles, etc. All nice things to have and of course you can always add more like; winch, rubber boots, Maxxtraxx, off road lights. You don't need all this stuff to attend (although it is always good to have an excuse to say, "Honey, I sure wish we had _____ to take with us!"). You will want a few things though, just in case. (like valve stem cores... Doh!)
A better than OEM front skid. Wow! I stove in the little screenie things on my skid due to an exuberant exit coming down a dune slope (well, maybe a couple exuberant exits...). A better, more protective front skid, one that covers the bottoms of the AC condenser coil and radiator would be good to have. Especially if you are not equipped with a lift kit (I'm not). Or you could always not drive crazy like I did coming down the slopes (hard to do when it is SO MUCH FUN!)
Tie things down. The trail gets jouncy. Stuff flies. Like girlfriends, little dogs, iPads, fridge-freezers... you get the idea. At any rate, it is a good idea to have your stuff secured.
New people should pay attention to what the experienced folks say. From airing down to driving on the dunes, pay attention. I found the group as a whole had a vast amount of skill and knowledge. Use that resource if you are new! Ask questions! Listen to and heed their advice. My first day on the dunes I didn't air down enough and got stuck or lost traction on the slopes all because I didn't heed the advice of experienced folks.
Bring water and snacks (or a meal for the trail). Once you are out having fun it is a total bummer if you have to go back to town for vittles.
Be rested. Out blasting around requires paying attention to what you are doing, where you are going. We found that after a day of fun we were pretty tired. But we are old and frail and well... old.
Stay with the group if you are new! Not bad advice if you are experienced either! You will have more fun and a more enjoyable time if you stick with other folks. You are there to help each other and enjoy the FJ camaraderie that comes from this event. Newbies definitely find an experienced attendee and try to hang with them. It helps!
Attend! This is a great event! Socialize. Meet great people. Talk FJ's. Start up some friendships. Learn new things about your FJ, about yourself.
Enjoy! You will be amazed at what our FJ's can do and are capable of. Watch the FJ in front of you going over the edge of a dune can be a bit scary the first time. When all you see is their underside and then they disappear from view, it looks pretty scary. Don't worry, you'll quickly get used to the different type of driving required. Take it easy at first. Ask questions. Don't do things you know you shouldn't.
Respect the trail and other riders/drivers. Stay back, don't tailgate. Take out what you bring in. Florence is a great place to go have fun out on the beach and dunes. Don't spoil it for others. Don't spoil it for yourself. Look out for all the folks in small vehicles or on foot. Be positive! Share the trail. You will find at the end of a run the most sore thing is your jaw. From grinning all day!
I probably have more but last of all I just want to say thank you. Thanks to ALL of my fellow attendees. Thank you to everyone that helped us, everyone that took time to put this event together. I would encourage those of you who have not attended to join us next year. We had an absolute BLAST! Even if we are old. :grin