For those wanting to fish up outdoor activities or meet other like-minded outdoor enthusiasts, the upcoming Black Canyon Hunt and Outdoor Expo can help.
The fifth annual expo is going to be held in Grand Junction for the first time on March 17 and 18. The event, which was previously held in Montrose, will be put on by Leslie Musselmann and Tracy Reule of Eventive Events.
“We moved [the expo to Grand Junction] for reasons like the sponsors wanted to move,” Musselmann said. “[It’s] a little more central.”
The new location of the event is an attempt to bring in a larger crowd, as well as benefit the Grand Junction area.
“[The expo will] also give exposure to the Western Slope and what Grand Junction has to offer,” Musselmann said. “It gives the area one more avenue for entertainment.”
The event brings seminars, giveaways and activities to hunters, fishers and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. According to the expo’s website, there will be outdoor recreation-themed games for children, as well as camouflage face painting.
For older children and adults, there will be a 3D archery range to practice bow hunting.
People can also visit with vendors while gaining knowledge, information and viewing products.
The goal is to have more visitors in the coming years who visit Grand Junction and decide to stay. Some guests will be staying in local hotels for this year’s event, a huge plus for the area and the expo.
Musselmann notes that the event has “a lot of moving parts.” Funding for the event comes primarily from sponsors and private funding.
The title sponsor of this year’s expo is the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Musselmann is also excited about another major sponsor they will have, Cabela’s, a popular outdoor retail store.
“It takes a lot of people to put [this] on, so a lot of people have to participate to make this happen,” Musselmann said.
The event will feature speakers from around Mesa County and across the country to educate other outdoor enthusiasts with what they have learned over the years.
“A lot of these speakers, they want to share their knowledge and share what they have to offer so they speak at other events,” Musselmann said.
The expo will also have giveaways and prize drawings with a grand prize being a safe.
The time for the expo will be from 1-7 p.m. the first day and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. the second day. Admission is $6 per person ages 12 and up (under is free). A two day pass is $10, and a pass for a family of four ages 12 and up is $20.
The event will be held at the Two Rivers Convention Center, which is located on 159 Main St.