Pacific Airgun Expo registration open! http://www.pacificairgunexpo.com
Wow what a lot of work getting a shopping cart web site working, especially with free software LOL. Please visit the site to see lots and lots of pictures of the 2015 show, pictures of the shooting range near the show, and lots more information, including of course online registration! I've been getting increasing calls from manufacturers and vendors who are planning on attending, so as we start getting registrations in I'll create a list on the web site so you can see who's coming.
A word to vendors that might be on the fence about attending: don't let your competition be the only one with a presence at the show! I got a call recently from a vendor who wasn't sure he wanted to come for fear it might be a small show, but I happen to know his competition is coming, so don't be left out! If everybody comes, it won't be a small show
. Also, this is only the second show with the new management (that'd be me ). It will take some time to build momentum. I'm hoping this year will be successful enough we can start doing it every year, and the momentum will continue to build. But if people are scared to come for fear it might be small, it will be small, and that will be the end of the PAE.
Ours is a niche market and we're in the Republic of bleeding heart liberal California, but I know there's lots of us airgun enthusiasts here, and some of our sport's biggest advancements in recent years have come from businesses located right here in the Golden State. Help spread the word; even a TV ad won't get to our target market like word of mouth (and online posts) can.
This year's advertising flyers are up on the web site for your use. I can only get around to the gun clubs and sporting goods stores within about two hours around me to put up flyers. Please print out some flyers and help spread the word.
I don't think an expensive radio spot, sign on the back of buses, or big newspaper ads would get to enough of our audience to warrant the expense of that kind of advertising. From my experience putting on shows with the Federation of Fly Fishers, a similar niche hobby sport, the best way is if all of us that want to grow our sport advertise the event to your people. Vendors, please put a notice on your web site and post on the forums that you're coming. Attendees, please post online that you are excited to go. That will create the buzz everyone wants.
This is our sport, and our western states airgun show. The PAE is not 'my' event; I'm just creating the opportunity. The PAE is a chance to get together to shop, shoot, and hang out together. I'll do what I can, but it really takes all of you to help it be successful by spreading the word to your airgun shooting audience.
A paraphrasing of a previous announcement:
Pacific Airgun Expo March 25-26 2017
El Dorado Fairgrounds, Placerville, CA
The bi-annual Pacific Airgun Expo is the only airgun show west of the Rockies for buying, selling and trading airguns, and occurs in Placerville, a destination rich in outdoors history. The history of Placerville, formerly Hangtown and Old Dry Diggins, has its roots in mining and was once known for its notorious reputation for vigilante justice carried out by hangings. Old Dry Diggins was a gold mining camp on Hangtown Creek established in 1848. Famous artist Thomas Kinkade lived here.
Placerville has many activities to make a trip to the airgun show a mini-vacation for the whole family. Shopping in the quaint historical downtown, great little restaurants, hunting, fishing, the Red Hawk Casino, golf, Gold Bug Park, a number of great thrift stores and antique stores, and more. Add an extra day on the trip and make it a real holiday. I took some pictures of the town:http://www.pacificairgunexpo.com/placerville-destination-pictures.html
We have made arrangements with a nearby shooting range only 6 miles (about 12 minutes) from the Pacific Airgun Expo show location! Any airgun clubs, retail stores or manufacturers that might want to put on a contest or demonstration are encouraged to do so, and any pre-purchase gun testing can be done there. It is my hope to have a shuttle going back and forth every hour. There are 25, 50, and 100 yard ranges at the facility. Range pictures:http://www.pacificairgunexpo.com/shooting-range.html
Saturday evening after the doors close we will once again have a get together at the brewery/restaurant that is right across the street from the show. A great opportunity to spend time with new and old friends and talk our favorite sport!
We are super lucky to have a location with an actual gun range just down the street. What a perfect setup we have here for the PAE! A facility that is supportive of the shooting sports in a fantastic outdoor sports location, a shooting range nearby, and when the gun handling is all over, a brew pub right across the street!
For more information as we approach the event watch this forum and http://www.pacificairgunexpo.com.
Michael McKeown
[email protected]
http://www.pacificairgunexpo.com
Wow what a lot of work getting a shopping cart web site working, especially with free software LOL. Please visit the site to see lots and lots of pictures of the 2015 show, pictures of the shooting range near the show, and lots more information, including of course online registration! I've been getting increasing calls from manufacturers and vendors who are planning on attending, so as we start getting registrations in I'll create a list on the web site so you can see who's coming.
A word to vendors that might be on the fence about attending: don't let your competition be the only one with a presence at the show! I got a call recently from a vendor who wasn't sure he wanted to come for fear it might be a small show, but I happen to know his competition is coming, so don't be left out! If everybody comes, it won't be a small show
. Also, this is only the second show with the new management (that'd be me ). It will take some time to build momentum. I'm hoping this year will be successful enough we can start doing it every year, and the momentum will continue to build. But if people are scared to come for fear it might be small, it will be small, and that will be the end of the PAE.Ours is a niche market and we're in the Republic of bleeding heart liberal California, but I know there's lots of us airgun enthusiasts here, and some of our sport's biggest advancements in recent years have come from businesses located right here in the Golden State. Help spread the word; even a TV ad won't get to our target market like word of mouth (and online posts) can.
This year's advertising flyers are up on the web site for your use. I can only get around to the gun clubs and sporting goods stores within about two hours around me to put up flyers. Please print out some flyers and help spread the word.
I don't think an expensive radio spot, sign on the back of buses, or big newspaper ads would get to enough of our audience to warrant the expense of that kind of advertising. From my experience putting on shows with the Federation of Fly Fishers, a similar niche hobby sport, the best way is if all of us that want to grow our sport advertise the event to your people. Vendors, please put a notice on your web site and post on the forums that you're coming. Attendees, please post online that you are excited to go. That will create the buzz everyone wants.
This is our sport, and our western states airgun show. The PAE is not 'my' event; I'm just creating the opportunity. The PAE is a chance to get together to shop, shoot, and hang out together. I'll do what I can, but it really takes all of you to help it be successful by spreading the word to your airgun shooting audience.
A paraphrasing of a previous announcement:
Pacific Airgun Expo March 25-26 2017
El Dorado Fairgrounds, Placerville, CA
The bi-annual Pacific Airgun Expo is the only airgun show west of the Rockies for buying, selling and trading airguns, and occurs in Placerville, a destination rich in outdoors history. The history of Placerville, formerly Hangtown and Old Dry Diggins, has its roots in mining and was once known for its notorious reputation for vigilante justice carried out by hangings. Old Dry Diggins was a gold mining camp on Hangtown Creek established in 1848. Famous artist Thomas Kinkade lived here.
Placerville has many activities to make a trip to the airgun show a mini-vacation for the whole family. Shopping in the quaint historical downtown, great little restaurants, hunting, fishing, the Red Hawk Casino, golf, Gold Bug Park, a number of great thrift stores and antique stores, and more. Add an extra day on the trip and make it a real holiday. I took some pictures of the town:http://www.pacificairgunexpo.com/placerville-destination-pictures.html
We have made arrangements with a nearby shooting range only 6 miles (about 12 minutes) from the Pacific Airgun Expo show location! Any airgun clubs, retail stores or manufacturers that might want to put on a contest or demonstration are encouraged to do so, and any pre-purchase gun testing can be done there. It is my hope to have a shuttle going back and forth every hour. There are 25, 50, and 100 yard ranges at the facility. Range pictures:http://www.pacificairgunexpo.com/shooting-range.html
Saturday evening after the doors close we will once again have a get together at the brewery/restaurant that is right across the street from the show. A great opportunity to spend time with new and old friends and talk our favorite sport!
We are super lucky to have a location with an actual gun range just down the street. What a perfect setup we have here for the PAE! A facility that is supportive of the shooting sports in a fantastic outdoor sports location, a shooting range nearby, and when the gun handling is all over, a brew pub right across the street!
For more information as we approach the event watch this forum and http://www.pacificairgunexpo.com.
Michael McKeown
[email protected]
http://www.pacificairgunexpo.com