The NRA Great American Outdoor Show (GAOS) is returning Feb. 1-9 to the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Penn.
This show is the largest of its kind, with more than a thousand exhibitors and products for shooting, archery, fishing, boating, camping—and just about any other outdoor activity you can think of—in its 650,000-square-foot exhibition space. Besides handling all the newest and best products and talking directly with the manufacturers, you can also meet knowledgeable guides and outfitters of every stripe.
The GAOS is a learning event, too. NRA staff members will join outdoor experts like Kip Campbell, Kristy Titus, Chad Schearer, David and Karin Holder, and Abner Druckenmiller teaching seminars on a wide array of topics, including fishing, hunting, firearms, self-defense, and even cooking wild game. Fishing demonstrations will take place at the Hawg tank, a semi-truck trailer converted into an enormous aquarium filled with freshwater fish.
Expect entertaining displays throughout the show. One particularly noteworthy event is Dock Dogs, where you can watch talented dogs jumping into a large tank of water, competing on their jump length and height and their speed-retrieving skills.
You can also count on the show being family-friendly. Children under 5 years old can attend for free, and the entrance cost for older children is $7. Be sure to bring kids to the Eddie Eagle Kid’s Zone—free and open every day of the show. The Kid Zone offers a play area and the very important Eddie Eagle Safety movie, along with safety information to take home. Other activities in the Kid’s Zone include face painting, wildlife identification, and a basketball court. Children at GAOS can also enjoy a scavenger hunt, kid’s casting contest, trout fishing, air-gun range, rock climbing and more!
On Feb. 8, don’t miss the NRA Country concert, featuring country music star Chris Janson (“Buy Me a Boat” and “Good Vibes”) as the headliner. He’ll be joined by Jon Langston (“When It Comes to Loving You”) and Jacob Bryant (“Practice What I Preach”). All three artists are outdoor enthusiasts, so you’ll find them hunting and fishing whenever they can. Jon Langston’s fan club even calls themselves the Bird Dog Club. Get tickets to this event early, as the GAOS NRA Country concerts are known to sell out.
Besides all this, the GAOS offers a Friends of NRA Banquet and Wall of Guns; a Spot Challenge; a 3D Bowhunter Challenge, and many other fun activities. If you enjoy any aspect of the great outdoors, there’s no doubt you’ll enjoy the Great American Outdoor Show. Tickets start at $8 and are available at greatamericanoutdoorshow.org.
