[title subtitle=”words: Laura Keep
images: courtesy FCA Outdoor Expo”][/title]
Outdoor enthusiasts should mark their calendars for the Second Annual Dan Burton FCA Outdoor Expo, a don’t miss event for anyone who likes to hunt, fish, camp or just enjoy the great outdoors – and it’s free! The Second Annual Dan Burton FCA Outdoor Expo is set for Friday, September 13thfrom 1pm to 6pm and Saturday, September 14thfrom 9am-6pm at Kay Rodgers Park in Fort Smith. Attendees will have a chance to wander through more than one hundred vendor booths featuring goods and services geared toward outdoor enthusiasts. There will also be interactive displays like archery with Morrell Targets, Urban Forest Axe House Axe Throwing, PlayRekt will be hosting an inflatable nerf gun shooting range for nerf wars, kids and adults can test their log-rolling skills with Key Log Rolling, and a Daisy BB Gun shooting range will be set up for kids.
Two fun shows will entertain outdoor lovers of all ages throughout the weekend. These include the popular Gator Country show featuringalligators, crocodiles, tortoises, lizards and all kinds of snakes. It’s an entertaining show with personal interaction in a safe environment. There’s also the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show where you can see many of the world’s top lumberjacks compete in axe throwing, crosscut sawing, log rolling, chainsaw racing, chopping and more. There’s lots of audience participation in this show too.
On Saturday morning there’s a pre-expo pancake breakfast from 7:30am-9am. It will feature two guest speakers including NBA World Champion and ESPN Analyst Adrian Branch along with Apache Chief Reynard Faber. Tickets to this event are $10 per person or $25 per family and can be purchased online at fcaoutdoorexpo.com.
Also, on Saturday at 10am, bikers are invited to the Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride starting at Kay Rodgers Park and going on a 102-mile loop through Evansville, Stilwell and Sallisaw. Tickets are $10 per person or you can sponsor a rider. Registration info is available at fcaoutdoorexpo.com.
This family-friendly event is a fundraiser for the River Valley Fellowship of Christian Athletes in memory of Dan Burton. Dan died of cancer in 2010. He was an avid hunter and proud supporter of FCA and its mission to challenge coaches and athletes to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ.
“My dad had a deep love for the Lord which led him to serve Him in many ways in ministry,” said Dan’s daughter, Rebekah Moore. “He had a heart for the lost. FCA became a big ministry for him. Because of us four kids, he got involved with the Greenwood FCA school huddle. He would invite busloads of kids out to our ranch. He would prepare food for hundreds of kids and became pretty famous for his cowboy beans. When the buses arrived, he would serve the kids, then he would have games, but the most important part would be when he presented the gospel. It was such a joy to see him serve the Lord!”
Anyone can support the cause by participating in the FCA Outdoor Expo raffle. It includes more than $50,000 in prizes. A $10 raffle ticket will get you a chance to win a GC1K Intimidator All-Terrain Vehicle, an African safari hunt, or a four-person hot tub. A $5 raffle ticket puts you in the mix for a Flint Kayak, Big Green Egg Grill, a rifle package, a shotgun package, or a bow package. Raffle tickets can be purchased online at fcaoutdoorexpo.com. You do not have to be present to win.
More than 7,000 people enjoyed last year’s inaugural Dan Burton FCA Outdoor Expo. This year promises to deliver even more fun and excitement at this FREE event. Don’t miss it!
Kay Rodgers Park
4317 N. 50thStreet, Fort Smith, Arkansas
September 13, 1pm-6pm
September 14, 9am-6pm