AZGFD Outdoor Expo Less Than 3 Weeks Away

PHOENIX — One of Arizona’s largest hands-on outdoor expos is less than three weeks away. And it’s FREE!

The Arizona Game And Fish Department Outdoor Expo, presented by Shikar-Safari Club International, will be held on Saturday, March 24, and Sunday, March 25, at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. The event offers loads of activities, presentations and exhibits for everyone from novices to seasoned outdoor recreationists.

The Expo has come a long way since its inception, growing from a small occurrence with a handful of attractions and exhibitors in 2004, to one of the north Valley’s biggest and best-attended annual events. Some of the things attendees can do include:

* View live wildlife (hawks, reptiles, small mammals, more) in the expanded amAZing Wildlife tent.

* Give kayaking a try at the “Lake Paddlemore” kayaking pond.

* Hike a field course and learn cool camping tips.

* Take the kids to two huge catch-and-release fishing tanks.

* Learn target archery.

* Try out different firearms in a safe, controlled environment on the shooting range, or learn specialty shooting disciplines such as clay target, cowboy action, practical pistol, black powder, air gun, and more.

* Learn from informative talks on topics on wildlife, conservation and outdoor recreation.

* Attend exciting cowboy mounted shooting competition at the Royce W. Anderson Family Arena.

* View off-highway vehicle exhibits, rock crawler demonstrations, and learn about responsible riding.

* View boating exhibits and learn about watercraft safety.

* Visit with more than 150 exhibitors, including outdoor organizations, government agencies, and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services.

Admission and parking are free, but people might want to bring a little cash for the variety of food and beverage concessionaires and other vendors. Some of the shooting venues have a nominal charge for ammunition. ATMs will be on-site.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 24, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 25. To get to the Expo, take I-17 to Carefree Highway, turn west, and watch for the signs.

The Title Sponsor of the Arizona Game And Fish Department Outdoor Expo is Shikar-Safari Club International. Gold Sponsors are OneAZ Credit Union, Sig Sauer and My Outdoor TV.

For more information, visit http://www.azgfd.gov/expo

Did you know?

The Arizona Game And Fish Department receives NO Arizona general fund tax dollars? We hold the state’s wildlife in trust for the public without a dime from Arizona taxpayers.