The 6th Annual Rimbey Sportsman Show took over the Vern Poffenroth Memorial Arena on Sunday, June 21, 2026, bringing firearms, hunting, and outdoor sports displays to a much bigger space. Hosted by the Blindman Valley Rod and Gun Club, the Father’s Day event drew vendors and visitors from across central Alberta with its move from the Peter Lougheed Community Centre, tripling the available floor space.
Admission was $5 per person or $20 for a family, with children 11 and under getting in free. The show ran from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering a mix of antique firearms, military items, fishing tackle, knives, axes, night vision equipment, optics, and leather goods. Organizers said the larger venue allowed more vendors than ever before, with 37 vendors booking 93 tables as of mid-May.
Brad Janzen, president of the Blindman Valley Rod and Gun Club, said the event is built for the whole family. “It’s going to be bigger and better than in previous years,” he said ahead of the show. “The move to the arena will provide triple the floor space compared to what was utilized before.”
The Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights was also on hand with its CCFR Laser Range, giving attendees a chance to try out shooting skills in a controlled setting. The Rimbey Sportsman Show first launched in 2019 but was sidelined by the pandemic in 2020 and 2021 before returning in 2022. This year’s edition kept the tradition of a Father’s Day Sunday gathering, drawing a steady stream of visitors to the arena at 5506 51 Avenue.
The Vern Poffenroth Memorial Arena, built in 1996 and named for the founder of Rimbey Minor Hockey, provided a familiar community hub for the event. With a seating capacity of 600, it offered plenty of room for browsing tables and chatting with vendors about outdoor gear and hobbies. Organizers called the 2026 show a success and said the larger venue will likely be the event’s home going forward.
