GUN SHOW SCHEDULESThe short version
- Promoters control tables, not venues — and most of them still run on phone calls and mailed applications.
- Deposits come in four structures. Rolling deposits carry the most risk: one late cancellation can void your whole season.
- Cancellation windows run five days to two weeks, with penalties escalating as the show approaches.
- No-shows are punished harder than cancellations everywhere. If you cannot make it, call.
- Sold out rarely means sold out. Ask for the waitlist and the mailing list.
Booking a gun show table is not an e-commerce transaction. There is usually no cart, no instant confirmation, and in a surprising number of cases no online form at all — several established promoters still take a printed application and a mailed check.
The process is old-fashioned, and the money is less forgiving than vendors expect. The deposit rules and cancellation windows below are the part that costs people real money, so read that section even if you skip the rest.
How booking actually works
- Find the show and the promoter. The promoter, not the venue, controls tables. Every listing on our calendar names the promoter running that show.
- Call them. Phone beats email in this business by a wide margin. Tier pricing, remaining locations, and waitlists frequently never appear online.
- Get the vendor packet. Application, show rules, load-in times, and the rate sheet. Read the rules before signing — booking is usually deemed acceptance of them.
- Return the application with payment. Some promoters take cards online, some take PayPal, some want a check in an envelope. Nearly all require the application and the money together.
- Get written confirmation. At least one association asks you to enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope for it. Keep whatever you get.
- Watch for the vendor letter. It arrives shortly before the show with load-in windows, parking, and any venue-specific rules.
Sold out is not always sold out. Cancellations happen constantly and most promoters keep an informal waitlist. Calling directly and asking to be on it — and on the mailing list — is how vendors get into full shows.
Find your next show
Filter the national calendar by state and month, then contact the promoter straight from the listing. Every entry shows the date we last verified it.
Deposits: the part that costs people money
There is no standard deposit structure. The four models below all appear in current published vendor agreements, and they behave very differently when something goes wrong.
| Model | How it works | Risk to you |
|---|---|---|
| Payment in full | Whole table fee accompanies the application | Refundable only inside the cancellation window |
| Percentage deposit | 25%–50% up front, balance at check-in | Deposit commonly non-refundable once the window closes |
| Rolling deposit | One deposit carries across multiple shows | Highest exposure — see below |
| Reserved-space deposit | Holds a specific location show to show | Missing a show can forfeit the location itself |
Structures as described on current promoter vendor pages. Terms vary by promoter and change without notice.
Rolling deposits deserve their own warning
A rolling deposit lets one payment secure table space across a whole season without re-depositing each time. It is genuinely convenient, and it is the structure most likely to hurt you.
Under one Texas promoter's published policy, cancelling inside the two-week window makes the rolling deposit non-refundable and automatically cancels every future reservation it was holding, unless you put up a fresh deposit to re-secure them. One late cancellation can therefore cost you the deposit and your entire remaining season in a single move.
Before you accept a rolling deposit, ask one question: if I cancel one show late, what happens to the others? Get the answer in writing. This is the single most expensive detail in gun show vendor contracts and it is almost never volunteered.
Cancellation windows
Windows range from five days to two full weeks, and the penalty schedule tightens as the show approaches. Representative published policies:
| Promoter | Notice required | Late penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Gun Shows | 2 weeks | 50% inside two weeks; 100% on show days; no-shows also forfeit the rolling deposit |
| Texas Gun Shows | 14 days | Rolling deposit lost, future reservations cancelled |
| Central Indiana Gun Shows | 5 days | No refunds after the Monday before; no-shows owe table rent before returning |
| Minnesota Weapons Collectors Assn. | Monday before opening | No refund after |
| Crossroads of the West | Wednesday before | Refund or transfer to the next show |
Policies as published on each promoter's vendor page. Confirm current terms before booking — these change.
The no-show is worse than the cancellation
Every policy we reviewed treats failure to appear more harshly than late cancellation. Common consequences: the full table fee still due, forfeiture of any rolling deposit, loss of your reserved location, and in at least one case the rent owed before you are allowed back at a future show.
If you cannot make a show, call. A promoter who hears from you on Thursday will generally work with you. One who finds an empty table Saturday morning will not, and this is a small industry with a long memory.
Rolling and transferring tables
Many promoters let you roll a booking to a later show at the same venue rather than cancel outright, if you ask before the deadline. Crossroads offers a refund or a transfer to the next show. This is almost always the better move — you keep the money and the relationship.
What you generally cannot do is hand your table to someone else. Subletting without the promoter's prior consent is prohibited in most agreements. If you want to split a table with a friend, tell the promoter in advance and get approval.
What to have ready when you call
- Which show, which dates, how many tables
- Whether you want wall tables or an interior row, and any location preference
- Your FFL number if you hold one
- Your state seller's permit or tax ID — California requires a valid permit for every person setting up
- What you intend to sell, in specifics
- Whether you need electricity
- How many people will work the table with you
Be straight about merchandise. Most promoters restrict tables to firearms and knife related goods, and several explicitly bar food, flea market and garage sale merchandise. Anything outside that usually needs approval in advance. Showing up with unapproved inventory is a bad first impression and can get it pulled off your table.
Getting into shows that are full
- Get on the mailing list. Loyal vendors typically get first refusal on the next event, which is why the good shows appear permanently full from outside.
- Ask for the waitlist by name. Cancellations happen every week.
- Take the bad location once. Back corner this time is how you get considered for a better row next time.
- Book consecutively. Consecutive-show vendors get priority and discounts simultaneously.
- Ask about newer shows. A promoter opening a venue needs vendors and will remember who showed up early.
Not legal or tax advice. Licensing, sales tax, and private-sale rules vary by state, county, and city, and they change. This article is general information only. Confirm your obligations with the promoter, your state revenue department, and a licensed attorney before you sell anything.
Run shows? Get them listed free
Send us your season schedule and we will publish it. Listings are free permanently — a calendar with holes in it is not worth visiting.
Questions vendors actually ask
How do I book a table at a gun show?
Contact the promoter directly — they control tables, not the venue. Request the vendor packet, return the application with payment or a deposit, and keep the written confirmation. Many promoters still work by phone and mailed check rather than online forms.
What is a rolling deposit?
A single deposit that secures table space across multiple shows without re-depositing each time. It is convenient but carries the most risk: under some policies, one late cancellation forfeits the deposit and automatically cancels every future reservation it was holding.
How late can I cancel a gun show table?
Windows commonly run from five days to two weeks before the show. Penalties escalate as the date approaches — typically partial refund inside the window, no refund close in, and full fee owed for cancelling on show days.
What happens if I do not show up?
No-shows are treated more harshly than cancellations everywhere we looked. Expect the full table fee still due, loss of any rolling deposit, loss of your reserved location, and possibly having to settle up before booking again.
Can I share or sublet my table?
Not without the promoter's advance consent. Subletting is explicitly prohibited in most vendor agreements. If you want to split a table, ask first — most promoters will accommodate it when they know in advance.
What can I sell at my table?
Most promoters restrict tables to firearms and knife related merchandise, and many specifically prohibit food and general flea market goods. Anything outside the core categories typically requires advance approval.
How do I get into a show that is sold out?
Call and ask for the waitlist, then get on the promoter's mailing list. Cancellations are frequent and loyal vendors get first refusal, so the list is how availability actually circulates.