Gun show aims for record turnout

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - The roughly 20-year tradition of selling guns and outdoor gear at Wasilla High School is set to continue this weekend, with 120 vendors and thousands of guns up for sale.

The all-day Saturday and Sunday event drew nearly 4,000 people last year. Rebecca Dargis, who is coordinating the 2005 Gun and Outdoor Show, said the show has grown increasingly popular over the last few years.

"There's always a waiting list for vendors," she said. "It is mostly gun vendors, but we do have lots of knives and some guiding things related to outdoors."

Organizers of the annual event are aiming to break the all-time attendance record this year. "I'm hoping for 5,000 people," Dargis said.

The gun show is a fund-raiser for the Wasilla Hockey Booster Club, and Wasilla High School hockey players will be on hand to assist venders in setting up and taking down their booths.

"It's our biggest fund-raiser for Wasilla High hockey," Dargis said. "It's been known for so long, and vendors look forward to it every year."

Nationwide, more than 4,000 gun shows take place every year. While gun control advocate groups often criticize gun shows for failing to conduct background checks on gun sales, supporters of gun shows say the events are an American tradition.

"We are the last frontier up here, and this is an opportunity to emphasize guns and outdoors," Dargis said. "It's an Alaskan tradition and it's a lot of fun."

Nationally, debates have arisen over whether private individuals should be required to conduct a federal background check on people who might want to buy a gun from them at a gun show.

The Brady Campaign is a national gun control advocacy group that supports background checks at gun shows. Its Web site claims gun shows make it easy for criminals and kids to buy as many guns as they want, including assault weapons.

According to Alaska law, vendors who sell guns as a part of their business are required to conduct federal background checks. State and federal laws do not, however, require the many private individuals who plan to sell guns over the weekend to conduct background checks on prospective customers.

Organizers of the Wasilla event have taken measures to provide a level of security, with checks at the entrance to the gun show.

"All guns have to be checked," Dargis said. "They must have [safety] ties on them, and we have a gun room for that."

Overall, Dargis said the weekend is meant to be for all ages.

"People want to have this," she said. "People don't want to let this die. They look at the good aspects of rifles. These are collectors who appreciate guns."

The Alaska Machine Gun Association is sponsoring this year's event. AMGA is a group of people who own guns and seek to provide gun education to the public. It will hold educational forums throughout the weekend and the National Rifle Association will provide insurance during the show.

The show runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children between the ages of 6-16. Seniors and those under the age of 5 can get in free.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.