Big Sandy hosted a Gun Show over the weekend of January 28th to the 30th. The event, which featured 15 vendors and 50 tables, attracted a steady stream of customers and folks just looking to browse and visit with others interested in buying or collecting firearms. As Glen, one of the vendors, put it: "All gun shows are good gun shows. Some are just better than others."

This year's show was organized by Keith Hanson, the former owner of The Mountaineer and Mayor of Chinook. Local vendor and owner of the Little Sharp's Rifle Company, Ron Otto, expressed the sentiment of many at the show when he said: " I don't think you'll find anybody any better, than Keith to put on a good show. All the tables are full. 50 tables. A lot of good stuff. A lot of ammo. We're looking forward to having him do it again next year."

Keith's assessment of the event was positive: "The show has been great. We haven't had a show in Big Sandy, that I know of, for a couple years. So I decided to reenact it and bring it on. It's been a great turnout. The vendors are excited to be here. Big Sandy, as always, has come to the forefront and helped support the show through all the businesses and the public coming out to support the show." Regarding the 15 vendors and 50 tables, Keith remarked that he could easily have set up 80 tables. "There's that many people interested in coming to the show as vendors. The vendors like coming to these small towns because when people show up at these small shows, they're here to buy, because its things we can't find on the High Line."

Locals I spoke with expressed joy at the return of the event to our community. Jim Ray remarked regarding the show: "I really enjoy it. This time of the year, it hits the spot. You get to come out here and look at all the different guns and meet all the different people. I missed it the last few years when they didn't do it."

Ed Timpano, who has been doing shows with Keith in Chinook for many years, explained his involvement in the event: "Keith's done a really super good job with the Chinook shows. When he asked myself and Ronny Otto if we thought a Big Sandy show would go again -it has been probably 5 or 6 years since we had one- I said 'what the heck, let's give it a whirl." He went on to explain that it had been a good show for him since the business was solid.

Kari Econom, a frequent vendor who was doing her first event with Keith and her first visit to Big Sandy, had positive reviews for the job Keith was doing putting on the show: "It's been so good. They way he's been treating us has been amazing." Regarding her visit to Big Sandy, Kari explained that she hadn't been in Big Sandy since playing basketball for Winifred against our local team. Her experience in our town was great, and she saw brisk trade at her tables: "It's very busy today. I love this. It feels good to be out doing a gun show. It was a little different because normally we have about 13 tables, and this weekend we only have five. So trying to decide which guns we were going to bring. It has been great, and the people have been amazing."

Beyond the opportunity for vendors to sell their wares and for locals to shop for deals and hard to find collectibles, the show brings another positive contribution to our town. The event creates a space for locals to gather and socialize. "There's a huge camaraderie here amongst people and friends. Ron Otto and Duke Pursley are here, and I can tell you that about 90% of the people who come through don't leave without passing their table. They want to see those two. Big Sandy should be proud to have two such great people in their town. Legends basically."

Mary Merrill, owner of the Black Granary Bakery, commented on the community involvement required to host events like the gun show: "I think it takes community togetherness to pull these things off. Everybody has to work together to make anything happen. It's good for collaboration and corroboration between the businesses."

Our town's businesses and locals who shopped the event made a good showing for themselves. Keith explained that the vendors' reactions were overwhelmingly positive: "The vendors are very impressed. You never know coming into a show how it's gonna be. Everything plays into it: Covid, if the sun comes up, if it rains, if it snows, if it's farming, if it's calving time... so many things play into a gun show, or any show. Every odd is against you. It's a gamble, but at the same time, if it turns out, it's a great gamble. I've seen a tremendous amount of friends here, a tremendous amount of old acquaintances from Big Sandy. Great people. I just have fun here."