The National Rifle Association’s annual expo will return to Indianapolis in 2029 and 2031, Gov. Mike Braun and NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Doug Hamlin announced at a joint press conference inside the Governor’s Office on May 4.
The convention center expects about 600 exhibitors and up to 75,000 attendees for each of the gatherings, slated for April 13-15, 2029, and April 4-6, 2031.
Indianapolis has played host to the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits three times before — in 2014, 2019 and 2023. At each of the previous annual expos in Indiana, there was a peaceful protest zone for those who disagree with the NRA’s mission. Ammunition and guns are not sold at the convention, but there are guns at the expo for show and activities like practice shooting ranges.
The event brings together NRA members, second amendment lovers and conservative politicians from across the country. In 2023, the Indianapolis convention attracted then-former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence as speakers. Then-U.S. Senator Braun also spoke at the event.
The NRA annual event is one of several high-profile conventions Indianapolis hosts, joining Gen Con as some of the largest groups to visit the Circle City.
The Indiana Convention Center, overseen by the Marion County Capital Improvement Board, will unveil a convention center expansion at the end of 2026 when the Signia by Hilton hotel opens at the corner of Georgia Street and Capitol Avenue. When the expansion is complete, the Signia will hold 800 new hotel rooms and the convention center will boast the largest ballroom in the state.
Alysa Guffey writes business and development stories for IndyStar. Contact her at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NRA convention returning to Indianapolis in 2029, 2031
Reporting by Alysa Guffey, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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