Minnesota Game Fair: A Hunting Tradition Worth Experiencing

For Minnesota hunters, August has a way of making fall suddenly feel a whole lot closer. Hunting plans start becoming more serious, dogs are getting ready for another season, gear gets pulled back out, and conversations naturally turn toward the months ahead. For more than four decades, the Minnesota Game Fair has been part of that transition from summer into hunting season.

The Game Fair returns for its second weekend August 14 through 16, 2026, and River Brothers Outfitters will once again be there with a booth set up throughout the weekend. We’re looking forward to seeing familiar faces, meeting new people, talking hunting, and spending a few days surrounded by a community that shares our love for the outdoors.

We’re also making the weekend a little more fun with random giveaways through River Brothers social media during Game Fair. If you’re attending, make sure you’re following along and watching our posts throughout the weekend. You never know when the next giveaway is going to pop up.

But River Brothers is only one small part of what makes Game Fair worth experiencing.

A Minnesota Outdoor Tradition That Started in 1982

The Minnesota Game Fair has been bringing outdoor enthusiasts together since 1982. Hosted by Chuck and Loral I Delaney, the event was patterned after European fall festivals and developed into an annual celebration of hunting, sporting dogs, conservation, outdoor recreation, and the traditions surrounding them.

Unlike a typical convention where exhibitors are lined up inside a large building, Game Fair was designed to be experienced outdoors. The event takes place across 80 acres of woods and water in Ramsey, Minnesota, creating a setting where visitors can do much more than walk around looking at displays.

Over the years, that experience has become an annual tradition for generations of Minnesota outdoor families. Hunters can discover new gear, learn from experienced sportsmen and sportswomen, participate in shooting and archery activities, watch working dogs, meet hunting organizations, and spend a summer day around people who are already thinking about the upcoming season.

You Don’t Just Walk Around and Look at Things

One of the biggest differences between Game Fair and a traditional outdoor expo is how much there actually is to do.

Hundreds of exhibitors attend the event with hunting equipment, outdoor products, dog gear, decoys, duck boats, apparel, taxidermy, and other products designed for people who spend their time outside. Sporting and conservation organizations are represented as well, giving visitors an opportunity to talk directly with groups involved in hunting, wildlife, conservation, and outdoor education.

But the exhibitor booths are only part of the experience.

Throughout the grounds, visitors can find shooting events, archery activities, seminars, demonstrations, dog events, calling competitions, and opportunities to learn directly from people with years of experience in the outdoors. Instead of simply seeing a new piece of hunting equipment online, Game Fair gives hunters an opportunity to see products firsthand, ask questions, and sometimes even try them.

For someone already counting down the days until hunting season, it’s pretty easy to spend an entire day there.

If You Have a Hunting Dog, Game Fair Is Even Better

Sporting dogs have always been a huge part of Game Fair, and it’s one of the things that gives the event its unmistakable atmosphere. First-time visitors quickly realize they’re going to see almost as many dogs as people walking the grounds.

Leashed dogs are welcome, and there are sporting dog clubs, trainers, demonstrations, dog-related exhibitors, and competitions happening throughout the event. Dog activities include Scurry, Goose Hunt, the Obstacle Course, Long Jump, Splash for Cash, and Swim to Win, giving owners opportunities to participate with their own dogs rather than leaving them home.

It’s also a great place for anyone interested in getting their first hunting dog or learning more about a particular breed. Retriever, pointer, and spaniel clubs are represented at the 2026 event, allowing visitors to talk directly with people who train, hunt, compete, and live with these dogs.

Even if you don’t bring your own dog, watching them work is easily one of the best ways to lose track of time at Game Fair.

There’s Something for Every Kind of Hunter

Game Fair isn’t centered around one type of hunting. That’s another reason it has remained such a popular Minnesota tradition.

Waterfowl hunters can spend time at Waterfowler’s Hill learning about calling, equipment, decoys, and the latest products in the waterfowl world. Archery World gives bowhunters opportunities to shoot and sharpen their skills, while shotgun events allow attendees to participate in Flurry and Five Stand shooting. There are also seminars covering hunting, shooting, dog training, wildlife, and other outdoor topics throughout the event.

Families can make a day of it, too. Kids can participate in activities including archery, slingshots, and shooting instruction, and Friday, August 14 is one of Game Fair’s Family Days, when kids are admitted free with a paid adult admission.

The result is an event that works just as well for someone who has hunted their entire life as it does for a family introducing the next generation to the outdoors.

Come Find River Brothers Outfitters

With hundreds of exhibitors spread throughout Game Fair, there is plenty to explore, but make sure the River Brothers Outfitters booth is one of your stops.

We’re excited to have the opportunity to meet people face-to-face, show you what we’ve been working on, and talk about the upcoming season. Online shopping is convenient, but there’s something completely different about being able to see hunting gear in person, feel the materials, check sizing, and have a conversation with the people behind the company.

If you want to browse before you come out, you can take a look at River Brothers hunting apparel ahead of Game Fair.

And with cooler mornings hopefully not too far away, you can also start checking out our hunting outerwear built for the season ahead.

Then come see everything in person at Game Fair.

Keep an Eye on River Brothers Social Media During Game Fair

We’re adding another reason to keep your phone nearby while you’re walking around the grounds this weekend.

River Brothers will be doing random giveaways through our social media during Game Fair.

There won’t be one big schedule telling you exactly when everything is happening. That’s part of the fun. We’ll be posting the giveaways throughout the weekend, so make sure you’re following River Brothers Outfitters and checking our posts while you’re at the event.

See a giveaway go live? Follow the instructions in the post and then come find us at the booth.

It’s our way of having a little extra fun with everyone who comes out to support River Brothers and the outdoor community during one of our favorite Minnesota events of the year.

Another Hunting Season Is Getting Closer

Maybe that’s ultimately why Game Fair has stuck around for more than 40 years.

Yes, there is plenty of new gear to see. There are dogs to watch, shooting events to try, seminars to attend, and hundreds of exhibitors to visit. But Game Fair also brings together a community of people who understand why another hunting season is something worth getting excited about.

It’s a chance to spend a day talking hunting before you’re actually sitting in the blind, walking a field behind your dog, or climbing into a stand again. You run into old friends, make new ones, learn something you didn’t know, find something you didn’t realize you needed, and leave thinking a little more seriously about the season ahead.

That’s exactly the kind of weekend we’re looking forward to.

The second weekend of the 2026 Minnesota Game Fair runs August 14 through 16 in Ramsey, Minnesota. If you’re heading out, make a day of it. Bring the family, bring the dog, explore the grounds, try something new, and come find River Brothers Outfitters while you’re there.

And don’t forget to watch our social media.

You never know when one of those random Game Fair giveaways might show up.

We’ll see you this weekend.