Why Knoxville?
Before the show, I saw a few people online asking why GOA chose Knoxville, Tenn. Why not a bigger city?
Finding a host city for a gun-centric convention is not as easy as one might think. Not only do you need a large convention center close to a lot of hotels, but you also need the city to be on board with the influx of many gun owners.
Also, since GOA stands by its “no compromise” values, the group sought a convention center that would allow attendees to carry concealed. Yes, you read that right. With a lot of legal work and contract negotiations, attendees could carry at GOALS.
Knox County, Tennessee, mayor Glenn Jacobs, also known as WWE superstar Kane, openly supported and welcomed the GOALS conference. He posted a cool Instagram reel with footage of him shooting. Jacobs was a speaker at the event, and several times I saw him chatting with attendees on the show floor.
Range Day
GOALS kicked off on Thursday, Aug. 14, with a media-only range day hosted by YouTuber “Opie in The Smokies” at his private range. Several companies, including Henry, Q, Smith & Wesson, and more, had firearms to shoot. Other companies, like Dead Air Silencers and Gideon Optics, were set up to showcase firearms accessories. I didn’t get into town early enough to attend, but from what I hear, it was a great event.
Related: I Had a Blast at the First GOA National Women's Range Day
Media Day
My experience at GOALS started on Friday with media day. GOA solicited feedback from content creators and asked what they would change about these types of events. Most said they’d love a dedicated day to meet with companies, take photos, film content, and network, so GOA made that happen.
I’m a newbie to these events, but I appreciated media day. The first official day of the event saw heavy and steady traffic, and I can see how difficult it would have been to check everything off my list.
Vendors
GOALS hosted over 200 vendors at this inaugural event. It was a consumer show, so most booths had products available to purchase, including a ton of GOA swag. It was nice to see things in person, since many of us shop primarily online. A few companies, including Canik, Henry, Viktos, and Amend2, launched new products.
There was a little something for everything, including gun manufacturers like Palmetto State Armory, optics makers like Holosun, concealed carry purses from Rugged Rare, and clothing from Viktos and Vertx. I enjoyed seeing the dummies from Ballistic Dummy Labs in person.
Blackout Coffee Co and 2A Bourbon both had samples to try. First Response Cigar Company set up a mobile cigar lounge outside the convention center. They even came prepared with a tent for when it started to rain.
I spotted two of my favorite small female-owned companies, Armed in Style and KOA Athletics. I connected with both owners on Instagram years ago, and we finally met in person. They both had family there helping them run the booths, which was great to see.
In addition, there were booths for service-based companies like CCW Safe and Crime Prevention Research Center. Attorneys on Retainer and Gun Freedom Radio set up their booths to record podcasts with many industry personalities.
Events and Speakers
Although the vendors were a huge part of GOALS, that’s not all this event had to offer. Throughout the day, attendees could pop into free classes including activism training for adults and students, a class on getting kids into shooting, and dry-fire training. The most notable was the Stop the Bleed class offered several times throughout the weekend.
Industry leaders such as Brandon Herrera, John Lovell, Michael Cargill, and John Lott gave inspiring talks. Panel discussions included a Veterans panel, GOA Lawyers panel, and Active Shooters panel, and I spoke on two – the “Right, Not a Privilege” and “Gun Rights are Women’s Rights” panels.
Dick Heller was there signing books, and both John Lovell and John Lott put on meet-and-greets. CCW Safe hosted Spicy Friday Live with YouTuber Johnny B on Friday night. On Saturday night, country music Easton Corbin gave a free concert.
Family Friendly
One of the things that set GOALS apart from other shows is that it was family friendly. GOA Senior VP Erich Pratt and his wife Stacy have 11 children, and he often speaks about the importance of family. To make it more accessible for families, admission to GOALS was free for GOA members, their spouses, and children.
GOA set up several areas for kids including a Nerf range, face-painting station, and bounce house. Swag for the kids was provided by the 2A Defenders Student Forum. I thought the “No Compromise” hopscotch was a nice touch, and I saw many families walking around together.
Women’s Forum
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Women’s Forum, which was my reason for attending. Empowered 2A partners with GOA to provide education, training, and advocacy content that encourages and equips women of all ages in their gun ownership journeys.
I participated in the “Gun Rights Are Women’s Rights” panel, where we discussed many things, including how to help more women become their own first responders. Right before the panel, we held a concealed carry fashion show featuring clothing and products from sponsor vendors. This was a chance for those of us experienced in carrying to show women different ways to conceal.
Conclusion
The first year of GOALS was a massive success, and GOA has already confirmed there will be another next year. This family-friendly and concealed carry-friendly event was different than others, and that’s a good thing. I’m glad I attended and strongly encourage you to make it to Knoxville next year for round two.
