Guns have returned to the fairgrounds.
After a two year absence due to state legislative bans on gun shows hosted at the OC Fair, the Crossroads of the West Gun Show has returned.
“We are so happy to be back at the OC Fairgrounds. We have a nearly 40 year history at this venue,” said Tracy Olcott, President of Crossroads of the West Gun Show. “We, along with our vendors, have been looking forward to returning. While the lawsuit took over 2 years to be resolved, we are happy with the process and pleased that Judge Holcomb ruled in our favor, supporting both our First and Second Amendment rights.”
Nationally and locally, gun shows can be divisive.
Gun control advocates argue that gun shows can result in the unregulated sales of firearms, due to what they refer to as the “gun show loophole.”
Unlicensed private sellers are not required to conduct background checks on gun purchasers under federal law, which some argue could result in unregulated sales of firearms unless state law prevents it — a “loophole” allowing firearms to be in the hands of those that would not pass a background check.
In August 2023, the Department of Justice began the process of closing the loophole by expanding background check requirements to more sellers.
“The so-called gun show loophole does not exist,” said Olcott.
Olcott stated that gun shows are bound by the same laws as brick-and-mortar gun stores, as all firearms are subject to a 10 day waiting period, in addition to state and federal background checks. Additionally, all firearms must be sold through a licensed transfer dealer at the show.
In California, no firearm can be sold without the presence of a federally licensed firearms dealer.
In 2023, twenty states, including California, require universal background checks, or background checks on private sales and through dealers.
“The gun show is for law abiding citizens to gather and exchange ideas and information about responsible gun ownership. It is not a place for criminals,” she said.
“As far as gun control advocacy, we all have a similar goal of eliminating gun violence. However, limiting legal and heavily regulated gun shows is not the answer.”
This division played out locally at the OC Fairgrounds in recent years, where gun control advocates called for cancelation of the gun show protesting the potential for regulatory loopholes.
Read here: OC Fair Backs Off Plan to Circumvent Potential State Bill Banning Gun Shows at Fairgrounds
State Senator Dave Min authored two laws that would bar gun shows from the event center.
Min – who currently represents central Orange County in the State Senate and is running for Congress this year – said he took action in an attempt to regulate the loophole.
Senate Bill 264, approved by Governor Gavin Newsom on Oct. 8, 2021, barred gun shows from the OC Fair and Event Center.
The bill originally was written to bar gun shows from all fairgrounds on state-owned properties, but it was narrowed by the Assembly Appropriations Committee to focus on the OC Fair, according to Min in the Sept. 23, 2021 OC Fair Board Meeting.
This ultimately led to Senate Bill 915, which was approved on July 21, 2022, extending the ban to county fairgrounds owned by the state or other state-owned properties.
After Min’s bill was enacted, gun show advocates challenged it in state court.
Min vowed to end gun shows at the fairgrounds if he was elected in 2020.
“When I was growing up, the county fairgrounds were a place for family friendly fare… but the most frequently occurring event these days at the OC Fair was the gun show,” Min said in an email.
Min stated that he met hundreds of individuals that wanted to keep guns out of the fairgrounds on the campaign trail in 2020.
“I vowed to try to end gun shows at the fairgrounds if I was elected to the State Senate, and after my election the first bill I introduced was to do just that,” Min said.
The state ban was blocked in October 2023 by U.S. District Judge John Holcomb, effectively stopping enforcement of the laws.
OC Fair administration declined to comment on the return of the show citing ongoing litigation.
Over 16,000 gun enthusiasts attended the last gun show before the ban, according to Olcott.
This year, over 10,000 attendees walked through five buildings worth of ammo, knives, guns, home decor, apparel and other gun-oriented gear.
“It’s about time that the show returned,” said Timothy George, Director of Civilian Arms Training Source. “We are all so very careful about doing everything spot on by complying with law enforcement, complying with local and city ordinances, everything right down the line. It has always been that way.”
Civilian Arms Training Source, who provides firearms training classes, has been a vendor with Crossroads of the West for 32 years.
“It is a culture, it is a community that cares about educating everyone properly and efficiently. We really want to pass on this information to our kids, and maintain our second amendment rights,” George said.
The Crossroads of the West Gun Show is promoted as a family event and an educational space for gun ownership, according to Olcott.
“We want parents to be able to bring their kids to the show to learn about responsible gun ownership. It’s a great opportunity to gather and discuss our shared support guaranteed by the Second Amendment,” she said.
“I like coming for the good deals,” said Alejandro Rojas, 28, who brought his one-year-old daughter and wife to the show.
“I own a gun for self-defense and to defend our country, if anything were to happen –I was a former marine; I believe in the constitution, I signed up to defend it, so if anything ever does happen, we will be ready versus anyone else who chooses not to,” added Rojas.
In recent years, mass shootings have been a rising topic of conversation in the gun community.
School shootings, in particular.
Data does show that mass shootings are taking place in California more than they did in recent memory.
Just this year across the United States, there’s already been three school shootings.
One vendor at the gun show, who visibly attracted teachers and parents as customers, was selling bulletproof backpacks.
“I would be willing to go out of business if school shootings stopped,” said Irene Villareal.
School shootings made Villareal spring into action, she said.
“It is sad that it’s come to this– disappoints me, but at the same time, it’s like insurance, you know,” said Villareal, “If you wear a seatbelt, it doesn’t mean you’re not going to die on a collision. So this is just a little peace of mind for parents to have some protection, as opposed to no protection.”
Safety at the Gun Show
During the gun show, Orange County Sheriffs and guards patrolled the fairgrounds.
“We hired eight OC Sheriffs to patrol the show as well as four guards at the entrance, and multiple guards patrolling the show. Standard protocol that most large events have in place,” said Olcott.
There were no loaded firearms at the gun show except for ones worn by police officers, according to Olcott.
Additionally, each firearm for sale had a nylon tie through the action of the firearm to disable it.
Due to the 10 day waiting period mandated by the state, no individual can purchase and walk out of the gun show with a firearm.
Firearm vendors were vetted by the Department of Justice prior to the gun show, according to Olcott.
The gun show also offered gun rights advocates a chance to engage politically, specifically by registering people to vote.
“The Gun show has been a way for us to have a voice and to get people registered to vote. Our group of volunteers work to support gun rights,” said Cynthia Cantrelle, Treasurer with the Saddleback chapter of the California Republican Assembly.
“The gun show is in high demand. People want to see that they have the right to be protected. Being able to have an opportunity locally to come and purchase what they need, and have fellowship with other gun owners. It is good for the community, and it is good for business in Orange County as well,” Cantrelle said.
Will the Gun Show Be Back?
There’s open questions whether the gun show will be back again at the OC Fairgrounds.
“There is no solid constitutional basis for this injunction stopping California’s ban on gun shows held on state property,” said Min in an email to the Voice of OC ahead of last weekend’s gun show.
“But most importantly, this injunction means that our communities are less safe from gun violence. The evidence is very clear that more guns lead to more gun violence,” he wrote.
“I am beyond disappointed that the gun show has temporarily returned to Orange County,” Min added, “but I am confident that this extremist decision will be overturned on appeal.”
Attorney General Rob Bonta and the California Department of Justice have appealed the decision on behalf of the State of California.
“The state was given plenty of time through requested extensions to prove that they had a legitimate case against gun shows,” said Olcott. “Judge Holcomb said ‘state officials had not shown a likelihood of either a successful appeal or any interim danger to the public from gun shows’ and that an appeal would take a long time to schedule.’”
As state court remains in a stand-still, Crossroads of the West has requested to return to the OC Fairgrounds March 30 and 31, according to Terry Moore, Director of Communications for the OC Fair and Event Center.
The contract for the March dates has not been signed.
“They have also asked for dates in November, but that show has not been contracted,” Moore said in an email. “Gun shows for 2025 have also been requested, but the events schedule for next year is still in the works.”
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated U.S. District Judge John Holcomb’s name as Mark Holcomb. We regret the error.
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