|
|
Facility manager Quinn Jordan said he expects between 3,000 and 5,000 sportsmen and sportswomen to attend the two-day expo, which returned to Lincoln County with great success in 2008 after years of inactivity.
"This is really turning into a great hunting and outdoor festival that people of all ages and genders really enjoy and appreciate," he said. "It's an opportunity to see what's new and available for the 2009-10 hunting season, find out season requirements and network with their friends and business owners."
An abundance of outdoor vendors will be on hand for the expo, including industry leaders like Ducks Unlimited, Gander Mountain, Primos and more. Associated companies like Brookhaven Honda and Southern Tractor will also have exhibits and information at the expo.
The companies and their products will be housed inside the facility and on the floor of the arena, where larger items like four-wheelers and boats will be displayed.
"We've got four-wheelers, automobiles, hunting calls, deer processors, archery booths, deer stands, trailers, boats, outdoor cooking, taxidermy, apparel - inside and out," Jordan said. "There will be a lot of stuff."
The expo will also feature interactive exhibits, like the 3D Archery booth, hosted by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. The archery contest begins Saturday at 9 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for the top finishers in archery scoring.
The Big Buck Contest will return to the expo as well. Eligible deer must have been harvested in 2008, and must be brought to the expo by noon Saturday to be entered and scored in three divisions - men, women and children.
Prizes for the big buck contest are $100 for first place, $75 for second place and $25 for third place. The overall winner will receive an additional $100.
The family favorite buck on the wall at home also has a use at the expo, with Magnolia Records' scoring session running from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Deer presented to Magnolia must score 120 points or more and have been harvested in Mississippi during any previous season.
Masters of the stove may also mix it up at the expo in this year's chili cook-off contest.
The contest begins Saturday at 8 a.m., and all food must be prepared on site. The cook will be required to present two quarts of his or her chili for judging, which begins at 4 p.m., and one gallon for public taste-testing. The entry fee for the contest if $45, but the rewards for winners are high - $200 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place.
The expo will have plenty of entertainment for children, with a kids area featuring plenty of inflatable play pens from Leaping Lizard for an additional fee. Local toy store Just Kiddin' of Brookhaven will also host a Kids' Corner with free games and activities.
Even the food at the wildlife expo will be in the spirit of the event, with Mitchell's serving caribou burger, buffalo burger and alligator dogs, Jordan said. Conventional eaters may enjoy pizza provided by Dominoes.
Jordan said the expo generated more than $16,000 in profits last year, and he's expecting that much and more this year. All profits gained at the expo go back into the multi-purpose facility's budget, he said, and with an operating cost estimated at $8,000, the two to one return ratio for the expo is a good one for the multi-purpose commission.
"It's important to us because we need this to balance our budget," said Dr. William Kimble, commission chairman. "The bulk of (facility income) is through rentals, but profit made from the expo is also factored into our budget."
Though the expo will be larger than it was in 2008, one thing it won't be is held in conjunction with the annual Ole Brook Festival.
The events coincided last year, and the two groups of organizers worked together to promote them both. This year, however, the Ole Brook Festival has been pushed back into October, leaving the wildlife expo to stand on its own.
Kimble has no worries.
"I think the wildlife expo has proven it can stand alone," he said. "I think it goes back to the community interest and strength of the outdoors here in our area. So much of the population of our area hunt and fish as a hobby, I don't think there's any question the expo will stand alone."
