As a South Florida native; I spent countless summers as a child with my father strolling up and down the aisles at the Fort Lauderdale War Memorial Auditorium when the gun show was in town. I recall the years before the Clinton AWB took effect, the years during the ban, and after it ended. How the demographics of the vendors, buyers, and even the merchandise itself changed.

How the tables went from selling surplused M1 Carbines, Browning Citori O/Us, and S&W Revolvers to AR-15s, GLOCKs, and PMAGs. How the kids like me that grew up going to the shows with their fathers are now the guys running the tables. The Fort Lauderdale show was for many South Florida gun owners, a timeless place where memories and deals could be made.



Alas, the gun show in Fort Lauderdale is coming to an end after 30 years. The City Commission has decided to cancel the contract in the wake of the Parkland School Shooting. The City of Fort Lauderdale, long a Leftist Democrat stronghold has joined the social justice warriors and are attacking another cherished institution of Florida gun culture all in the name of "feelz".

Jorge Fernandez, the manager of the show said that,

What Mr. Fernandez might not know know is that back in 2016, the City tried to ban the sale of ARs by modifying the lease agreement and stipulating that ARs, AKs, and standard capacity magazines could not be sold on the convention center grounds. The State's preemption law prevent that from happening. The City's attack on the show has been long going and finally came to a victory when Mayor Dean Trantalis, who as a city commissioner last year found no support for getting rid of the gun show outright, now has colleagues in agreement with him on the issue this year after Parkland.

Event organizers have stated to WSVN News that they will look for new venues to continue to host the show. Hopefully they find something soon enough because just south of the county line in Miami-Dade County. The gun show there is also under assault too since Florida International University owns the grounds that the Dade County Expo Center is on and that is where the Miami Gun Show is held. Since 2013, the University and County have been in discussions of allowing the buildings to be demolished and the campus expanded with new dorms.

In the end, it doesn't look good for the future of South Florida gun culture and worse. Another cherished place of my youth is being wiped out.

This and the fact that only ccw holders are going to buy at shows with the new 3 day wait probably means the eventual death of gun shows here.

the death of South Florida

if I had my way I'd round them all, up and give them a choice. Leave Florida or

I'd kick every Democratic LEFT WING SOCIALIST EXTREMISTS out of the state. They are all traitors to America and the CONSTITUTION and BILL of RIGHTS in my eyes

There has always been a waiting period for handguns for those without Concealed weapons permits, and several counties had already enacted long gun waiting periods as well.

Folks still bought plenty of guns at the gunshows and did the transfers at local FFLs.

Besides, Governor Turncoat and his stooges in the legislature have enacted waiting periods for FFL sales statewide.

The Parkland school shooting has been a great thing for Democrats! Like Rahm Emanuel & Hillary say, you never waste a "good crisis"! They're milking it until they can't milk it no more.

Wow. Truly and end of an era.

I think I was 8 years old when I started going to them regularly with my father. Saw so many wonderful and interesting things...and some beanie babies.

Even worked a couple tables at a few shows for a few years. I really wanted to hit one more "for old time's sake" before leaving Florida but just didn't get the chance. But I guess stuff like this is why I left Florida.

Sad.