Sportsmen’s shows have been a staple of the early spring season in Maine for decades. They signify the approach of warmer weather and offer a chance for hunters, trappers, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts to prepare for the upcoming spring turkey, fishing and boating seasons.
The three main shows in the state, the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club’s Spring Sportsman’s Show, the Penobscot County Conservation Association’s Eastern Maine Sportsmen’s Show, and the Maine State Sportsmen’s Show all return this year.
After a three-year hiatus, The Eastern Maine Sportsmen’s Show is back to its home at the New Balance Field House on the University of Maine’s flagship campus in Orono. Now in its 82nd year, which organizers say makes it the longest-running show in the country, the show is scheduled March 10-12 and will feature many demonstrations by Maine guides, Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife personnel, Fins and Furs and United Blood Trackers, among others.
In all, the show will have about 120 exhibitors on hand ranging from sporting goods dealers and outfitters to food vendors and hunting and fishing guides.
The Presque Isle show, which also went on a three-year-hiatus in 2020, returns March 25-26 to Gentile Hall on the University of Maine at Presque Isle campus. The show is a major fundraiser for the Aroostook County fish and game club, which is one of the largest in the state with 350 members.
The show will feature the return of the L.L. Bean fishpond with brook trout provided by Micmac Farms and new exhibitors such as Pedego Electric Bikes from Portland and Bike, Board and Ski of Presque Isle.
While all three shows were canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the Maine State Sportsmen’s Show returned last year to the Augusta Civic Center. This year’s show – a collaboration between The Maine Sportsman magazine and Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine – will be its 41st and is scheduled for March 31 through April 2.
The Augusta show will feature many of the same exhibitors, demonstrations and seminars along with a carving contest and special hands-on activity area for kids. The show will also hold the State of Maine Firearms Auction, which is the state’s annual auction of seized, surplus and donated guns. The auction will be held at noon on Sunday, April 2.
For details about each show including admission prices and a schedule of demonstrations, please visit their respective websites.
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