After Reprieve, Gun Show Draws Large Crowds to Fairgrounds

The nation’s largest gun show opened to near record crowds at the Pomona Fairplex this weekend after the show’s promoters narrowly dodged a legal bullet.

Officials and vendors at the Great Western Gun Show claimed that publicity surrounding the failed attempt by the Board of Supervisors to ban the show had boosted first-day attendance by almost 2,000 people.

As legions of gun enthusiasts picked through an assortment of weaponry, badges, books, military collectibles and toys Saturday, show officials said attendance reached about 10,000 Friday. Figures were not available for Saturday.

“We’ve had huge admissions and a lot of it has been from the media attention,” said Chad Seger, show manager.

Los Angeles County supervisors voted to ban gun shows from county-owned land in August. The county owns the fairgrounds, and supervisors argued that they had a right to control activities there.

Promoters of the 22-year-old gun show challenged the ban in court, calling it unconstitutional and financially unfair. The matter has yet to be tried, but a federal judge suspended enforcement of the ban until the matter is resolved. Show promoters and county supervisors say a show will probably be staged again in December before the question of the ban is ultimately settled.

On Saturday, as loudspeaker announcements urged attendees to contribute to the show’s legal defense fund, gun show regulars said they were elated by the legal reprieve.

“It’s nice to know we have some good judges out there,” said Dennis Bacon, 54, of Torrance. Bacon, who frequently attends the shows dressed in historical military or mountaineering garb, wore a large sombrero, bullet-laden bandoleers and a brace of vintage Colt .45 revolvers.

Vendor Bob Hydanus, 69, of Covina, sat behind a table of toy pop guns. He even looped a length of plastic through the finger holes in each of the toy guns to simulate trigger locks.

“I think the notion of shutting down the show is ridiculous,” the retired engineer said. “Gun sales are already as regulated as they can be. Besides, all the people here are collectors.”

County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, an outspoken critic of the show, alleges that the shows are clearinghouses for criminals in search of guns and ammo. Despite that concern, Yaroslavsky said Friday that he was not requesting that any special security precautions be taken at this weekend’s gun show.

“Look, there’s so much attention being focused on this thing that I’d be surprised if there was any readily visible, embarrassing activity,” Yaroslavsky said. “I’m sure Great Western will be quite anal about protecting their reputation.”