Gun and ammo show this weekend
Staff writer
A long-running local tradition will return this weekend with the Herington Guns and Ammo Show, bringing vendors, collectors, and community members together.
The show, organized by Brett Herpich, will be at the Herington Community Building, 810 S. Broadway. Hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs $5 per day, with children 12 and younger admitted free with an adult.
Herpich has organized the event since 2000. His 26th show will be the largest yet, filling more than 140 vendor tables — the maximum capacity of the building.
“This is the biggest we’ve ever done,” he said.
The show has grown from about 100 tables in earlier years.
In addition to firearms and ammunition, attendees can expect a wide variety of items, including knives, military surplus, metal detectors, coins, and novelty merchandise.
Attendance typically ranges from 600 to 700 people over the weekend, though Herpich said crowds have been as large as 1,200 during busier periods.
While the show draws vendors and visitors from outside the area, Herpich described himself as “just a hometown boy trying to keep the show alive.”
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Herington Awana Club, a youth program affiliated with First Baptist Church. It provides meals, activities, and Bible-based lessons for children.
All firearms laws will be enforced, and no loaded weapons will be allowed inside the building. Firearms brought in will be checked at the door. Free gun locks will be available.
The event has maintained a strong safety record over the years, with no major incidents reported, Herpich said.
The show also features food provided on-site by local volunteers and a Sunday drawing for a rifle, with proceeds supporting the Awana Club.
For Herpich, the event is as much about community as it is about commerce.
“I couldn’t do it if it wasn’t for my family,” he said.