Gun shows can be hit or miss. I've been going to show for a couple of decades and, like others here have pointed out, have seen the good and bad.
Let me throw out an idea based off the ole live with it or change it concept. What I'm saying is, we have lots of us scattered over various internet discussions forums who find ourselves seeing threads like this on a pretty regular basis. Every few months we see someone start a thread saying how boring or bad gun shows have become. But few if any ideas are give to change things. I want to offer some ideas and draw from other hobbies I've been involved in.
First, some have mentioned the same vendors over and over, working the gun show circuit. The beef jerky and candle vendors. The people selling arts and crafts. Some here even mention shows which have several empty, unsold tables.
Let's keep in mind that the larger shows are being run as a business and if the people who are paying 70, 80 or more dollars PER TABLE are the jerky and candle vendors, well that's who is going to be there. The show managers can't make money on an empty table. Now, think about it, they could make some sort of vender rule saying "At least 75% of table space must be devoted to firearms or firearms related products or services".
I am a ham radio operator. We have "Hamfests", which are similar to gunshows, where we sell ham radio and related items. One local Hamfest has such a vendor rule which stated that 75% of each table must be devoted to Ham radio or computer gear.
Will the owners/managers of the big gun shows do something similar? Not if they are making money on tables being bought by the candle and jerky guys.
So the answer is to get other people to purchase those tables. We need to get people and organizations who are not selling guns but are associated with the firearms hobby to buy those tables. Think local and national gun rights groups. The NRA should have at least one table and be activly recruiting. Same for other groups like GOA, SAF, etc. State level groups like VCDL, LOCAL, La Shooting Association, etc. These groups need to have table with banners up promoting themselves to the masses who go to the gun shows.
Let's face it, many of us gun veterans have given up on gun shows but many people still flock to them. These are great venues for recruiting and spreading the word about progun organizations and messages.
How about some of the sport shooting groups? Have tables manned by reps from groups which host IDPA, USPSA, CASS and other sport shooting.
We have to get those groups interested in attending these gun shows and convince them that they can market themselves to a large demographic that they may be missing now.
We have to make gun shows not only where people think about looking at guns or even buying guns. You have to think, "If I go to a gun show, what else can I see or learn while I'm there? What do I get for my $8 I spend on admission?"
So diversify the tables. If you can have a guy there who is representing the local 3 gun matches instead of a guy selling candles then you are winning the battle.
Second, Diversify the event. Look at hosting not only vendors but confrences or seminars. Make the gun show a draw or destination. It's a perfect venue for the area NRA rep to hold an hour long Q&A session with members. I see this all the time at Hamfest where the ham radio equivilant to the NRA, the ARRL, has blocks of time set aside for board members or reps to talk about the latest issues they are lobbying or working on. If you are going to drive to a hamfest, spend nearly 10 bucks to get in, then just walk around, why not plan on sitting in on some Q&As or seminars like this? How about a block of time for a Reloading for Beginners session? Have a vendor spend an hour explaining how to use his products. Have a CHP instructor give a brief class and Q&A to those wondering about how to get a CHP. Have NRA or other gun groups hold elections or district type meetings at the gun shows.
There are plenty of things you can do at a gunshow besides just line up a bunch of tables and have crap thrown out to look at.
You have to change the idea of what a gun show is. Maybe start with smaller gun shows. Get the owners/managers on board. Get the area gun rights groups on board with the idea.
Or we can just be content with showing up at an arena seeing the same old, same old.