Exhibitors display their merchandise at the Hunter’s Expo at the McAllen Convention Center on Saturday, July 23, 2022, in McAllen. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])
McALLEN — If there’s anything that matches the volume of attendance and participation here at this weekend’s 31st annual Texas Hunters and Sportsman’s Expo, it is its growth after evolving from modest beginnings to one of the largest events in South Texas.
Saturday’s turnout served as an indication that the interest in the expo is not slowing down anytime soon, as thousands continued to show for the three-day event.
Of course, it helps that the Rio Grande Valley, which plays host to the event annually, is an ecotourism and outdoor living destination, attracting birders and hunters from all over the world — that’s right up the alley of expo organizers, presenters, vendors and attendees.
The event kicked off Friday and is scheduled to run until Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the McAllen Convention Center, located at 700 Convention Center Blvd. in McAllen.
According to Chris Curl, one of the show’s coordinators, the expo saw around 10,000 attendees Friday and hopes to see many more over the weekend.
The family owned hunter’s expo first began after Curl’s father, Jerry Curl decided to bring a hunters and sportsman’s show to the Valley after attending a similar event in Houston. The inaugural event was held 30 years ago at the old convention center in McAllen which saw around 3,000 attendees.
Now as the event enters its 31st year it averages a total of 35,000 to 40,000 attendees over the course of its three-day run.
“Now what I see is the kids that used to come when my dad was doing it,” Chris said. “Now they’re coming up to me and saying, ‘Hey, I used to come when your dad owned the show. I used to come 20 years ago and now I’m bringing my kids.’”
Hector Gonzalez, 58, recalled attending the event with his father when the show first arrived in McAllen.
As he looked around at the various hunting gear vendors, Gonzalez spoke of his father who would take him hunting since he was 5 years old.
“I just love hunting and the outdoors so I enjoy coming out here every year to see what’s new on the market,” said Gonzalez, adding that now he hopes to continue the tradition with his daughter. “I am continuing his legacy.”
Although the event kicked off on Friday, Fabian Hernandez believes that vendors see the most productivity on the weekend.
Hernandez, 40, and his business partner Sam Robles were among the vendors participating at the event. They own an Edinburg-based business called 7 Day Addiction Outfitters, which sells custom fishing rods they build from scratch and tackle.
Their business has also evolved together with the expo over the years, learning how to present their products in a more appealing way to attendees of the event.
“It is planning … strategically placing things where people can see them a lot better, a lot easier and where people can actually see our featured items. It takes a lot of time to plan out the layout,” Hernandez said, adding that it is their seventh year participating.
Hernandez may believe in the old adage that if you want to make money you have to spend a little, considering he’s made a bit of an investment of both finances and faith to find success at the expo, and in their business.
“You want to invest quite a bit of money only because you want to have enough inventory,” he added. “The last thing you want is to have a product that is selling pretty heavy and you don’t have enough of it. We definitely earn a lot more than we invest in it.”
Valerie Pena, 28, of Harlingen, said her attraction to the expo is a lot simpler: it’s a family affair.
She and her husband and daughter, Robert and June Valdez, 36 and 8, respectively, attended the event together to get all the sights and sounds associated with the Texas Hunters and Sportsman’s Expo, and according to the trio, it did not disappoint.
“I’m here for the fishing and the pickles,” June, who appeared to be wearing a baseball uniform, said with enthusiasm.
For Robert, an avid hunter, the event gives him the opportunity to buy gear for him and his daughter, who accompanies him on hunting trips.
“You never know what you’re gonna come across,” he said. “You might find that diamond in the rough thing you’ve been looking for, and there is a lot of different things they offer. This is the best way for them to advertise it and for you to find it.”
