NRA kicked off the 2024 Great American Outdoor Show at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Friday, February 2, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by several dignitaries, including NRA Interim CEO, Executive Vice President and Executive Director of General Operations, Andrew Arulanandam, and NRA Second Vice President, David Coy, among many others. Open to the public, the 2024 NRA Great American Outdoor Show will run until Sunday, February 11.
Since taking over the world’s largest outdoor show more than a decade ago, GAOS has become one of the NRA’s best-loved events. The exhibition halls—filled to the brim with more than 1,000 exhibitors covering 650,000 square-feet of floor space—include shooting sports, archery, hunting, outdoor lifestyle and products, fishing and hunting outfitters (both domestic and international), fishing tackle, trucks, boats, ATVs, recreational vehicles and much more. Additionally, as a dedicated consumer show, GAOS is an excellent opportunity for companies to forge a deeper connection with their customers, as well as receive valuable end-user feedback about their products.
It doesn’t stop with the packed exhibition halls, either. At the Great American Outdoor Show, top outdoors experts conduct educational seminars and demonstrations, covering topics such as hunting, fishing, trapping, self-defense tactics and wild game cooking. In the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex’s Large Arena, visitors can check out the Dock Dogs big air jumping pool, where you can watch amazing canine acrobatic ability in action, along with the Pennsylvania Lumberjack Championship conveniently located next door. Bring your bow and compete in the 3D Bowhunter Challenge. Fishing demonstrations are held daily at the Hawg Tank in the Fishing Hall. For youth-focused entertainment, children can visit the the Eddie Eagle Kid’s Zone for fun and games. And no visit to GAOS is complete without buying a ticket for a chance to win a firearm at the famous NRA Wall of Guns.
In the Shooting Sports Hall, companies such as Colt, Freedom Munitions, Heckler & Koch, Henry Repeating Arms, Kahr, Mantis, Marlin, Mec-Gar, Mossberg, Ruger, Savage Arms, SIG Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Staccato, Taurus, Trijicon and Walther Arms have their guns, ammunition and other gear on display. Plus, vehicle manufacturers like RAM Trucks, Ford, Can-Am, Polaris, John Deere and Yamaha brought their trucks, ATVs and other outdoor vehicles for attendees to check out on the show floor.
During my visit to this year’s NRA Great American Outdoor Show on Sunday, February 4, all eight of the exhibition halls were packed with smiling faces, eager to visit with the more than 1,000 exhibitors and get a close look at their wares. An enormous event, one helpful tool for attendees to find their way around the show is the interactive GAOS mobile app, which includes an exhibitor directory, show floorplan, seminar schedules, event lists and more.
Another can’t miss at GAOS this year is the Friends of NRA Banquet, which will be on Thursday, February 8. Be sure to join us and help raise money for national, state and local programs that support America’s shooting heritage.
Perhaps the biggest event at the NRA Great American Outdoor Show this year—outside of the exhibition halls—will be the NRA-ILA Presidential Forum, where Donald J. Trump will speak in the Large Arena at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, February 9.
NRA Country will have a concert on Saturday, February 10, headlined by country music artists Warren Zeiders and Randy Houser, who will be joined by special guest Jason Bryant. But, if you are looking to attend, make sure to buy concert tickets early in 2025, as this year’s concert is already sold out.
With all this, it’s easy to see why the NRA Great American Outdoor Show is so popular and why people come back year after year.
One attendee I talked to, Julie S., traveled to Harrisburg from Montgomery County, Maryland, for her first NRA Great American Outdoor Show experience. She told me, “There is something for everyone at the Great American Outdoor Show. This was the first time that I’ve attended, but I’m already thinking about coming back next year.”
Interested in attending GAOS this year? A nine-day event, the 2024 NRA Great American Outdoor Show will run until Sunday, February 11. Entry is free with the purchase of NRA membership, and tickets cost $15 for adults, $13 for seniors (age 65 and over) and $9 for children. Learn more at greatamericanoutdoorshow.org.
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