McALLEN – When Jerry Curl began the Texas Hunters and Sportsman’s Expo in 1992, there’s no way he could have imagined what type of big game/bigger name the show would morph into during the years.
When the 32nd annual event takes place beginning today at the McAllen Convention Center, every nook and cranny of the building — and much of the outside — will display products, entertainment and more that covers hunting, fishing, camping and the great outdoors.
“I like to call it a supermarket on steroids,” said Chris Curl who, along with the Curl family, directs, oversees and creates the annual event. “I like to tell people that hunting and fishing is a family tradition. The same goes for our show, entire families come out annually. To buy things, to learn about the outdoors and just have a good time.”
Curl said the COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a large outdoor awareness across the country as people looked for ways to entertain themselves and family.
“The last two years have been the best shows we’ve had, and we are always looking to outdo ourselves the following year,” Curl said. “People didn’t want to be locked up for a year or more where they couldn’t do anything because of COVID. It’s a family event where you can also buy beef jerky, smoked meats, homemade soup kits, educational outdoor books for kids. If you don’t like hunting I get it, but there’s also camping and archery and barbecues and so much more to do.”
Among the favorites returning this year are a live rattlesnake exhibit with shows throughout the day and Frank Addington Jr., known as the “aspirin buster” because of his archery trick shows that include splitting an aspirin in mid-air.
“Nobody wants to be stuck at home,” Curl said. “Spend a few hours here, learn something. You will be outdoors at some time, and being bit by a snake down here is a possibility. We have a show that says what to do, what are the steps, if that happens.
“Frank (Addington) is a modern day Robin Hood. He shoots an aspirin out of the sky but also has a good message — get off the computers, get outside with the family and spend time with the kids. Families that spend more time together are closer.”
There will be plenty of products — from fishing lures to exotic hunting and fishing trips available as well.
“There can be thousands of people come through here, but I want to make sure the vendors are happy. They make the show happen. The Curl family just coordinates. This is the first show on the circuit of Texas and many of the items are being seen earlier here, new products and services and things that you won’t see until the fall in stores. We’ve grown quite a bit.”
The event runs from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.