The third annual B&T Gun Show will offer a variety of guns, ammunition and other merchandise for the public to choose from.
This year’s event will happen on April 9 and 10 at the Wylie-Mitchell building. Doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the first day, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second.
Lionel Bender, who organizes the event with Kevin Thompson, said they have will have 96 tables this year, which is a sellout. Many of the vendors need more than one table for all their merchandise.
They have a number of exhibitors who have been there the last two years. New and used guns will be available for people to purchase, and there will be a row of 20 tables that will offer used guns.
They did have to branch out to exhibitors who don’t offer guns and ammunition. There will be some related to the outdoors, such as Estevan resident Lyle McGillivray, who takes pictures of wildlife and frames them, and outfitter Clay Roberts from The Hunting Chronicles on Wild TV.
There will also be a coin dealer, an art vendor and even one person selling baking.
“We had to diversify this year, because we had 21 tables cancel on us,” said Bender.
Those cancellations were for personal reasons.
“We got it all filled up again, and we’re doing well,” said Bender. “We’re just hoping that with the downturn in the economy, that people will still come out. They don’t have to buy. They can just come and look.”
The gun show had a waiting list for exhibitors that allowed them to fill up the Wylie-Mitchell building. But the number of cancellations made it difficult to reach the maximum number of tables.
But there is strong interest in the show. Three vendors will be from Alberta, and three more will be from Manitoba. The rest are from across Saskatchewan.
Bender said the show is a great opportunity for people to purchase guns. Since the federal government scrapped the long-gun registry, it has generated more interest in hunting.
“It’s a great thing for everybody to come out,” said Bender. “If they’re looking to get rid of something, or buy some new stuff, it’s all there to have a look at.”
Proceeds from the gun show will be divided between the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation and STARS Air Ambulance. The organizers of the gun show try to pick two different organizations to support each year.
Last year they donated $5,000 to both the MS Society of Canada and the Canadian Diabetes Association. Bender is optimistic they will be able to provide a similar amount of money to this year’s beneficiaries.
