Gun and Knife Shows Near Me — Find Local Dates

Find a Show Near You

Filter by state to see confirmed dates. Many shows carry both firearms and blades whether or not the name says so.

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Filter by state to find gun and knife shows in your area. Confirmed dates are pulled from our national calendar, which is updated as promoters publish and verify them. If the calendar is empty for your area, no dates have been confirmed yet — we do not publish unverified listings.

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What Makes It a Gun and Knife Show

The naming is not arbitrary. Promoters who use the "gun and knife show" label are typically signaling a genuinely mixed floor, and it tends to mean:

A meaningful block of dedicated blade tables rather than knives appearing as an afterthought on firearms tables.
Custom and handmade makers present. This is the main draw for knife people. Independent bladesmiths sell direct at shows in a way they rarely do elsewhere.
Sharpening and repair services on site. Common at knife-forward shows, uncommon at pure gun shows.
Broader edged-tool inventory — axes, machetes, kukris, straight razors, and antique or military blades alongside modern folders and fixed blades.
A different crowd mix. Knife collectors, bushcraft and outdoor people, and cooks looking for kitchen steel, in addition to the usual firearms attendees.

That said, plenty of shows named simply "gun show" carry substantial knife inventory, and some "gun and knife" shows are functionally gun shows with three blade tables. Table counts and the promoter's own description tell you more than the name does.

What You Will Actually Find on the Blade Tables

Category	What to expect
Custom and handmade	Independent makers selling direct. Often the only place to handle their work before buying
Production folders	Mainstream brands, frequently below online pricing, especially discontinued models
Fixed blades and bushcraft	Hunting, camp and survival patterns; heavy overlap with the hunting-season crowd
Antique and military	Trench knives, bayonets, historical patterns. Overlaps with the militaria tables
Kitchen and culinary	Growing category, particularly Japanese steel, at knife-forward shows
Sharpening and service	Walk-up sharpening, handle work, and restoration
Steel, scales and supplies	For makers — blade stock, handle material, pins and hardware

The custom maker tables are the reason to go. Handling a maker's work in person, talking to them about steel choice and grind geometry, and commissioning something directly are all things that do not translate to buying online.

Knife Laws Vary More Than People Realize

This catches people out regularly. Blade law is genuinely inconsistent across the country, and it operates at multiple levels at once:

State law sets the baseline for what may be owned, carried openly, and carried concealed — and these are three separate questions with three separate answers in many states.
City and county ordinances frequently add restrictions on top of state law, sometimes on blade length, sometimes on specific mechanisms. Large metros are where this most often bites.
Some categories are treated distinctly in certain jurisdictions — automatics, balisongs, and various fixed-blade configurations among them — and the treatment differs state to state.
Venue policy is separate again. A publicly owned venue may restrict what can be carried in regardless of what state law allows.

Legal note — verify locally

Knife law changes at state and municipal level and the differences are substantial. Before buying something to carry, confirm current rules for the jurisdictions you will actually be in — including any you drive through. Nothing here is legal advice, and this page is reviewed on a fixed schedule rather than continuously.

Buying Well at a Knife Table

A few things that consistently separate a good purchase from a regretted one:

Ask before you handle. Universal etiquette at knife tables. Most makers are happy to hand you anything; opening a display piece uninvited is the fastest way to sour the interaction.
Ask what the steel is and why. A maker who can explain the tradeoff between edge retention, toughness and corrosion resistance for their chosen steel knows their craft. One who cannot is reselling.
Check the grind against the light. Look down the edge. Uneven bevels and a wandering grind line are the most common tells on lower-quality work.
Work the lock and the pivot. On a folder, check for blade play in both directions and whether the lock engages cleanly and consistently.
Handle it the way you would use it. Ergonomics that feel fine in a two-second grip can be miserable after twenty minutes of real work.
Do the whole lap first. Same principle as firearms tables. Prices for comparable work vary widely across a single hall.

Gun Shows Near Me — the broader search, including shows that carry blades without saying so in the name.
Gun Shows This Weekend — what is running in the next few days.
Upcoming Gun Shows — rolling forward view for planning.
Biggest Gun Shows in the US — several of the largest carry substantial blade sections.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a gun show and a gun and knife show?

A gun and knife show typically means a meaningful block of dedicated blade tables, custom makers selling direct, on-site sharpening, and broader edged-tool inventory. Many standard gun shows carry knives too, but usually as a secondary category rather than a section of the floor.

Can I buy a custom knife directly from the maker at a show?

Yes, and it is one of the main reasons knife people attend. Independent bladesmiths sell direct at shows in a way they rarely do elsewhere, and it is often the only chance to handle their work before buying or to commission something in person.

Are knife laws the same everywhere in the US?

No, and the variation is substantial. State law sets a baseline for ownership, open carry and concealed carry — three separate questions — and city and county ordinances frequently add restrictions on top. Confirm the rules for every jurisdiction you will be in, including ones you drive through.

What should I check before buying a knife at a show?

Ask what steel it is and why that steel was chosen, sight down the edge to check the grind is even, work the lock and pivot for play on a folder, and hold it the way you would actually use it. Walk the whole floor before buying — comparable work varies widely in price across one hall.

Is it rude to pick up a knife on a maker's table?

Ask first. It is standard etiquette at knife tables, and nearly every maker will hand you anything you want to see. Picking up a display piece uninvited is the main thing that annoys vendors.

Gun & Knife Shows Near Me