No More Dixon's Gunmakers Fair

[Loggy]

Sad news(below) just posted on Facebook. Glad I attended as many as I could in past years. Glad they are keeping shop open!!


It is time to announce that we will no longer be holding the Annual Gunmakers' Fair at Dixons. It has been a good long run, but for many reasons, we have come to the decision to end the fair.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank family and friends, judges, seminar speakers, volunteers, vendors, and all the folks who attended the Fair over the years.

Please know, we are not retiring. The shop will remain open for business in the coming years.

[davet]

It's my guess.....and nothing more than a SWAG......that because they didn't have it this year, the pressure and PITA logistics they had to do to put on this event was gone....and they probably liked that fact. And perhaps they had a chance to "discover" the sales increase related to the fair....wasn't enough to cover the cost of the fair.

So.....less pressure....less stress......bottom line higher profits. Sounds like win...win...win.

[Loggy]

Likely played a part in decision Dave. IMO it did play a role in overall enhancement of the sport by bringing thousands of smokers together coupled with gunmakers and other fine craftsmen. Probably not an immediate direct profit booster but long term certainly a plus IMO. THE PIA factor likely weighed in as Dixon’s have most likely made their mark well enough to carry them comfortably forward.

[acorn20]

I saw this notice on Facebook yesterday. All good things must pass, and so it is.

I've been to all thirty-some fairs that they've had and to me it was more of a reunion of sorts, reuniting with the many friends I've made over the years. It was one of the finest places to pick up components for new builds and possibly meet a gunmaker that put them all together. The fair and the many vendors will be missed.

[fleroo]

Don't know what the management and ownership makeup of Dixon's is, but may be the case here as in many other things like this. Folks that been in the game so long, simply get weary and tired, and there's not enough of the younger element infused to be able to pull it off without the usual suspects carrying the brunt of the load. It happens locally her too, with any sort of "show". Even our local gun club had things like this (shoots, shows, etc..), and it was the very same folks having to do lion share work, with no younger infuse. It happens.

That said, a brief respite may invigorate folks that will miss it, and they will step up for volunteering to help, and it may be back.

And no, I've never been there. LOL

[fleroo]

And not sure if it's the same show, but I remember folks talking about a show, and it included a burgeoning crowd, oppressive heat, and sometimes non-navigable mud. LOL

[Loggy]

Jan 26, 2021 15:14:38 GMT -5 acorn20 said:

I saw this notice on Facebook yesterday. All good things must pass, and so it is.

I've been to all thirty-some fairs that they've had and to me it was more of a reunion of sorts, reuniting with the many friends I've made over the years. It was one of the finest places to pick up components for new builds and possibly meet a gunmaker that put them all together. The fair and the many vendors will be missed.

Will miss for sure. My most memorable Dixon’s show was in 2008 when I met gunmaker Brad Emig which led to him building me my 54 caliber Pa Mountain Rifle. Hopefully the Lewisburg Artisans Show will continue when this C19 gets under control. 

[acorn20]

Jan 26, 2021 16:24:25 GMT -5 fleroo said:

And not sure if it's the same show, but I remember folks talking about a show, and it included a burgeoning crowd, oppressive heat, and sometimes non-navigable mud. LOL

Yes Fleroo, this is "that" show. Honest to God, going down that hill to the entrance some years was like descending into hell. Oppressive heat and some years thunderstorms that would swamp the fields where you were parked. Mud everywhere. What a mess! But, you took the good with the bad and you always looked forward to the next fair.

[Loggy]

Yep.....wasn't one of those "fair weather only" gatherings typically attended by  patsies!!

[westfieldjoe]

Chuck said several years ago that he didn't know how much longer he could keep the fair going. The bulk of the attendees are also rendezvous goers. They have all been rained on, and stuck in mud before.