The Southern Tier Outdoor Show was created 12 years ago to highlight the diversity of the region’s natural resources and to connect visitors with outdoor recreational opportunities. The first show in 2007 drew almost 2,000 visitors and today it is attracting over 7,000 each year and growing. The show is essentially a sportsman show highlighting hunting, fishing, archery, and trapping types of activities. But we have added the family value by encouraging the sportsman’s family and friends to attend to see the wildlife shows and participate in hands-on youth activities. This has created a unique annual family event offering services, merchandise and expertise to the sportsman while introducing family members to a variety of outside activities such as dog training, ice fishing, kayaking, living history, and beekeeping.
We offer wildlife shows such as the Grizzly Bear or the Dock Dogs for the entire family, as well as national celebrities such as the Outdoor Channel’s Byron Ferguson (an archery expert), Olympic Gold Medalist Cathy Turner (hunter and archer), the Gould Brothers (shotgun showmen), Matt Stutzman (an armless archer and Guinness World Record holder), and U.S.A. Ice Fishing Team member Ben Blegen. Our seminars have included the late outdoor writer Charlie Alsheimer, habitat deer management specialist Neil Dougherty, the Forever Wild Outdoor TV hosts, NYSDEC’s Hunter Safety Course and the Multi State Carry Permit course. Our intent is to engage the public with a variety of outdoor adventures, to educate them on environmental stewardship and safety, and to create a new experience each and every year to keep the audience coming back for more.
Some of our activities are a real draw to distant visitors, such as the sanctioned turkey calling contest. Recently visitors came from Washington DC, New Jersey and Massachusetts just to participate in this contest. Some of these visitors, as well as our vendors, have stayed at local hotels and patronized local restaurants and businesses. We have nearly 10,000 followers on our Facebook page from all across the region and neighboring states.
We offer our sponsors additional promotion via rack cards, signage, TV/radio coverage, and digital advertising. The show has become a great vehicle with which to draw visitors to our area and continues to receive great compliments from both vendors and visitors.