When it comes to attending the best knife shows, people have plenty of choices.

Best Knife Shows

Knife shows feature exhibitors trying to stand out from the competition with innovative knives. Many new knives and innovative designs for existing knives make their debut at knife shows. It’s a great way to see the latest designs, meet the designers and spend time with fellow knife owners and collectors.

The following list doesn’t cover every knife show. But these are among the best knife shows in the country.

BLADE Show

Organized by the same company that publishes BLADE magazine, the BLADE Show in Atlanta is one of the top shows in the country. It’s held every year in the first weekend of June. The 2018 event attracted more than 10,000 visitors and more than 900 exhibitors.

While some shows cater mostly to distributors or knife makers, the BLADE show is for everyone who works in the knife industry or has an interest in knives. BLADE also has added a BLADE Show West for the first time in 2018. Scheduled for Oct. 5-7, the show will be held in Portland, Oregon.

NRA Annual Meeting

The National Rifle Association holds an annual meeting in different cities around the country. The 2018 convention in Dallas attracted 87,154 attendees and more than 800 vendors. President Donald Trump also spoke at the convention. While the annual event focuses on guns, there are also many knife exhibitors at the meeting. The 2019 NRA Annual Meeting is scheduled for April 26-28 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

NRA Great American Outdoor Show

The NRA Great American Outdoor Show is held every February in Harrisburg, Penn. This nine-day show focuses hunting, fishing, boating, camping, archery, and other outdoor activities. It also features many knife exhibitors and offers the chance to focus exclusively on the latest for outdoor needs. There are also music acts, activities for kids and cool competitions such as the Dock Dogs “Big Air” Jumping competition. The 2019 show is scheduled for February 2-10 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex.

SHOT Show

While it is among the best knife shows in the country, the SHOT Show is primarily for distributors and dealers in the knife industry, not for retail customers. However, for those in the business it should be marked out your calendar to attend each year. The 2019 show is set of Jan. 22-25 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas.

The Gathering

Held every year in Las Vegas, The Gathering is a place for knife collectors and enthusiasts from across the country to meet every year. The official title is Gathering of the Usual Suspects Network. The 2018 show is set for Aug. 30-Sept.1.

Other Shows

There are many custom knife shows and others shows set up for specific reasons. They include:

ILEETA. While not specifically a knife show, the invitation-only International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association convention features the latest tools and techniques used in law enforcement. The 2019 conference will be held March 18-23 in St. Louis.

BIKE Week. This one is just pure fun. Bikers from everywhere join at the Cave Creek BIKE Week in Arizona – including knife exhibitors. Is it a good time? See for yourself.

The Gator Cutlery Club Knife Show, scheduled for Feb. 1-3 in Lakeland, Fla., focuses mostly on custom knife makers.

Monkey Muster, a knife show sponsored by Monkey’s Edge, is also geared toward custom knives. It had to be cancelled in 2018, but a new show is expected for April 2019 in Arizona.

These are just some of the great shows you can attend. Break out the calendar and circle the dates – you won’t be disappointed.