Master list of outdoors shows, classes, swap meets and major ice fishing events for the 2025 season.
If you have additions or tweaks, email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com) or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), X (@BowmanOutside), Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or Bluesky (@BowmanOutside.bsky.social).
UPDATE 12: ADD Quad County Hawg Hunters’ annual Fishing Flea Market, March 9
UPDATE 11: NOW BACK ON Spring Lake Izaak Walton Outdoor Show, March 8-9
UPDATE 10: ADD Northern Illinois Conservation Club Ice Fishing Derby, Feb. 8
UPDATE 9: ADD DRiFT fly fishing auction Feb. 8
UPDATE 8: CANCELED Spring Lake Izaak Walton Outdoor Show
UPDATE 7: ADD Chain O’Lakes Fishing Tackle Flea Market, March 15
UPDATE 6: ADD Bedford Sales & Outdoors Open House, Jan. 17-19
UPDATE 5: ADD Chicago RV Show, Jan. 10-12
UPDATE 4: ADD: Bronzeback Blowout, March 1.
UPDATE 3: ADD: Midwest Musky Club Fishing & Outdoor Show, Feb. 1
UPDATE 2: UPDATED PLACE: Salmon Unlimited Swap Meet, River Park Moose Lodge, River Grove
UPDATE 1, ADD: Spring Lake Izaak Walton Outdoor Show, Jan. 25-26.
Nov. 3: The Early Show, Mayslake Peabody Estate, Oak Brook
Dec. 6-8: St. Paul Ice Fishing and Winter Sports Show, St. Paul RiverCentre, Minn.
Dec. 13-15: Wisconsin Ice Fishing Expo, EAA Grounds, Oshkosh, Wis.
Jan. 3-5: Let’s Go Fishing Show, Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville
Jan. 8-12: Chicago Boat Show, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont
Jan. 10-12: Tinley Park Fishing, Travel and Outdoor Expo, Tinley Park Convention Center
UPDATE 5: ADD: Jan. 10-12: Chicago RV Show, Schaumburg Convention Center
Jan. 17-19: Muskie Expo Chicago, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles
Jan. 17-19: Rockford RV, Camping & Travel Show, Indoor Sports Center, Loves Park
ADD 6 Jan. 17-19: Bedford Sales & Outdoors Open House, Morris
Jan. 18: Musky Swap Meet, Quad County Hawg Hunters chapter of Muskies, Inc., St. Charles Moose Lodge, Duane Landmeier, dlandmeier@frontier.com
Jan. 23-26: Chicagoland Fishing Expo, Schaumburg Convention Center
Jan. 30-Feb. 2: All-Canada Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles
Jan. 31-Feb. 2: LVVA Ice Fishing Derby, Bangs Lake, Wauconda
Jan. 31-Feb. 2: Rockford Boat, Vacation & Fishing Show, Indoor Sports Center, Loves Park
ADD 3 Feb. 1: Midwest Musky Club Fishing & Outdoor Show, Village Sportsman’s Club, Alsip, vendor table and show info, Larry Downes, (630) 302-0759 or larry@riotracing.com
Feb. 1: Island Lake Lions Club Ice Fishing Derby, Island Lake, headquartered at Eastway Park
Feb. 1-2: Captain Dan Keating Salmon Schools, Lake Michigan Angler, Winthrop Harbor
Feb. 1-2: Chicago Travel & Adventure Show, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont
ADD 9: Feb. 8: DRiFT Fly Fishing Auction, Villa Park VFW
ADD 10: Feb 8: Northern Illinois Conservation Club Ice Fishing Derby, Turtle Beach Marina, Channel Lake, Antioch
Feb. 9: Henry Decoy Show, Three Sisters Park, Chillicothe
February 12-16: NWTF Convention & Sport Show, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Nashville, Tenn.
Feb. 13-16: Chicago RV & Camping Show, Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont
Feb. 14-16 and 19-23: Indianapolis Boat, Sport and Travel Show, Indiana State Fairgrounds
Feb. 14-16: Muskie Expo Milwaukee, Washington County Fair Park, West Bend, Wis.
Feb. 15: Salmon Unlimited Swap Meet, River Park Moose Lodge, River Grove
Feb. 15: Hoosier Coho Club’s “Fish Tales and Tackle Sales Swap Meet,” LaPorte County Fairgounds, La Porte, Ind.
Feb. 21-23: Wisconsin Fishing Expo, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.
Feb. 27-March 2: Illinois Boat Show, Lake County Fairgrounds, Grayslake
March 1: Fish & Hook Sports Show, VFW Post 5788, Lockport
UPDATE 4: March 1: Bronzeback Blowout, American Legion, Elmhurst, illinoissmallmouthalliance.net/store/product/11-2025-bronzeback-blowout/
March 7-9: National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, Kansas City Convention Center, Kansas City, Mo.
March 7-9: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show, Wisconsin State Fair Park, West Allis, Wis.
March 7-9: Canoecopia, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis.
March 8: Indoor Fishing Flea Market, Rolling Meadows High School
ADD 11 MOVED TO March 8-9: Spring Lake Izaak Walton Outdoor Show, Hobart, Ind., Jeff (219) 406-7248
ADD 12: March 9: Quad County Hawg Hunters’ annual Fishing Flea Market,Plano American Legion, 9 a.m.-noon, QuadCounty17@gmail.com
March 13-16: Illinois Taxidermist Association convention, Northfield Inn & Suites, Springfield
March 13-16: Ultimate Sports Show, DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Mich.
March 15: Fox River Valley chapter of Muskies Inc.’s annual banquet, Schaumburg Golf Club
ADD 7 March 15: Chain O’Lakes Fishing Tackle Flea Market, Fox Lake American Legion Hall, wpenzel@comcast.net or 608-369-3694
March 21-23: Illinois Deer Classic, Peoria Civic Center
March 21-23: Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, Texas
March 22: Riverside Fishing Club swap meet, Berwyn Moose Lodge
April 22-26: North American Vintage Decoy & Sporting Collectibles Show, Westin Chicago Lombard
Aug. 21-24: Chicago International Boat Show, Navy Pier Marina, Chicago