16th Annual Gun & Archery, Toy Farm Equipment, Coins, Stamps & Collectable Show & Sale at Battleford Arena. Starting from Aug.17 to Aug.18. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Kenneth Cheung

Local gun show

Annual gun show raises funds for the community

Aug 17, 2024 | 5:00 PM

Gun enthusiasts, hunters, and other trinket collectors gather for the weekends at the 16th annual Gun & Archery, Toy Farm Equipment, Coins, Stamps & Collectable Show & Sale in Battleford to give back to the community.

This exhibit is organized by the North Battleford Lions Club (NBLC) and held at the Battleford Arena. As the name suggests, it features a variety of firearms, knives, hunting gear, and more from different vintage trinket vendors.

Tyler Jess, the president of NBLC, said all the profits from this show will go to the community, including schools and other local charities.

Tyler Jess, the president of North Battleford Lion’s Club poses in front of the vendor in the 16th annual Gun & Archery, Toy Farm Equipment, Coins, Stamps & Collectable Show & Sale on Aug.17 2024 (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW staff)

“We’ve helped a lot of special needs children’s education and many schoolchildren who need things like tablets and computer programs. We will buy them tablets and other necessities to help with their studies,” said Anthony Thompson, one of the main organizers and a member of the NBLC.

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Thompson further explained that the show’s funds will also go to the local diabetes associations and other people in need.

Jess pointed out that this event helped bring the gun and outdoor community together to showcase what they offer to the Batlefords. In addition to local vendors, people from Regina and Ontario also had their spots in this show.

Anthony Thompson, one of the main organizers and a member of the NBLC, poses in front of his vendor in the gun show on Aug. 17 2024. He is a military collector. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

Austin Cowan, an Ontario vendor who recently relocated to Saskatchewan, pointed out that having a gun show in a smaller community could help small local businesses promote themselves economically, as the entrance fee is cheaper than in larger urban areas.

“I do a lot of shows in Toronto, and those usually cost a couple thousand to get a spot, so relatively smaller scale show like here opens the door to small businesses who normally wouldn’t be able to afford shows in the big cities,” Cowan explained.

“Because not everybody has $1,500 to put down for a booth, right?”

Austin Cowan, a vendor in the gun show poses at his booth.(Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

Besides helping small businesses, gun shows like this could also help the gun community stamp out stigma.

Kyle Wilson, a firearm collector and one of the vendors, said people tend to misunderstand and think that firearm enthusiasts are reckless and don’t follow the law; however,the legal process of owning a gun and the responsibility that comes with it is not as easy as people think it is.

“People who enjoy firearms are law-abiding citizens that go through a strict process to own those firearms, whether it’s for shooting, for game, collecting or sport for target shooting. They should be left alone,” Wilson said.

A display of firearms. (Kennth Cheung/battlefords NOW staff)

This exhibit lasts two days, from Aug.17 to Aug.18.