One of the largest outdoors exhibitions in the country is expected to rebound in a big way with a new operator in 2014.
The National Rifle Association was recently selected to run the nine-day outdoors show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Formerly known as the Eastern Sports and Outdoors Show, it will now be called the Great American Outdoors Show.
The show wound up being cancelled earlier this year when numerous exhibitors chose to boycott the event in protest of the former promoter’s plan to ban the sale of AR-15 rifles at the show.
NRA President David Keene promised the show would feature shooting, hunting, fishing, and boating vendors and the organization will encourage firearms manufacturers to be part of it. Furthermore, the organization also plans a number of celebrity appearances and a country music concert to be part of the event.
The NRA was selected over 16-other promoters who showed an interst in running the show. The contract for the event runs for two years, but Keene hopes to extend into the future.
The event is slated February 1-9, 2014.