Outdoor enthusiasts gathered indoors at the Servus Sports Centre over the weekend at the 2024 Lloydminster Gun and Outdoor Sportsman Show. Over 2,300 people took in the two-day show. Jeannette Benoit-Leipert Meridian Source
The 2024 Lloydminster Gun and Outdoor Sportsman Show saw a lot of traffic over the weekend.
Event chairperson, Janelle Mysko, said the line-up of outdoor enthusiasts stretched to the outside of the building at one point on Saturday morning, with over 2,300 people taking in the two-day show.
“Everyone was really excited about the new vendors that had come,” said Mysko, adding last year was their first year since COVID, so some of the vendors had retired from their ventures or moved on.
“So last year, we really went boots-to-the-ground and tried to call up some new vendors to attend our show. We were really excited about some of the new ones there.”
“There were some airsoft people. We’ve never really had anything for airsoft guns there before, but with the ammunition shortage … it’s kind of hard. So, this is an alternative for people to shoot.”
Another major attraction to the show was that both Alberta and Saskatchewan chief firearms officers (CFOs) were there.
“They speed up the gun transfers and the licence checks—so we actually had lots of rifles leaving the building that same day, which is really great,” said Mysko.
Lloydminster Fish and Game Association president Dwayne Davison said he was happy with the turnout as well.
“It was a very busy weekend, for sure. I talked to a few people right after the show … we had some positive comments back,” said Davison, adding the numbers were up from last year.
With the 2024 show is in the books, the Association is looking forward to this weekend’s annual Family Wildlife and Awards Banquet, set for Saturday evening at the WLS Convention Centre.
“We’re very much looking forward to the banquet. It’ll be good. We’re looking forward to having a magician there for the entertainment—magicians always go over good; everybody enjoys that,” said Davison.
“We’re happy that people come out to support us. It helps us to do our projects, and support the youth in the community. We look forward to doing it every year.”
