Cybertrucks, LiveScopes, Kangaroos and more! The 1st Annual Minnesota Sportsmen’s Show at Canterbury Park is in the books! Here’s what you missed:

It’s sport show season and while anyone working in the outdoor industry can go crosseyed with the travel, set up and work involved, it is also a great chance to see new products, meet like-minded people and chew the fat with old friends. Our discussions ranged from the future of forward facing sonar, January pheasant hunts, new pickups and more, including fish. Lots and lots of fish.

For those of you who just love the outdoors and wanted to see the resorts, products and other offerings, the weekend was a blast!

I was there to hang out with my friends Trevor Montgomery and Barry Prall from Tazin Lake Lodge in Saskatchewan. Normally they would do one of the other shows here in Minnesota this time of year, but with the new one taking place in Shakopee versus downtown, we took a chance and booked a booth here.

When I say taking a chance, I mean, trying a new Cenaiko show. That’s hardly taking a chance since they’ve been doing sport shows for 60 years! It’s a new show, but not really a new show.

Continue reading below for more details on the show. You can also watch this walkthrough video:

How Did The Show Go?

“My dad started in the late 60’s,” said Barry Cenaiko from Cenaiko Productions. “I started working with him in the 90’s and now I’ve got my son here.”

With 3 generations of experience and With Cenaiko shows in Fargo (Fargo boat show, Red River Valley Sportsmen’s Show) St Cloud (St Cloud Sportsmen’s Show), and Sioux Falls they have the knowledge and the connections to put together a show that doesn’t feel like it’s the 1st Annual.

Canterbury Park has a big showroom plus plenty of other space for vendors, lots of food and drink options, a casino and, maybe the best thing about it, free parking right next to the building.

“When I pull into an event and see $20, $30 or $40 parking, I let out a few words and decide if I’m going in,” Barry said laughing. “Having 2000+ stalls of free parking is a blessing.”

We walked around the venue to see who was there and what they thought of the show so far. There was room to expand for next year and I’d chalk that up to it being a new show combined with people already booked into some other shows before they had a chance for this one. I’m sure we’ll see it grow next year.

“It’s awesome,” Casey Weismantel from the Aberdeen Convention and Visitors Bureau said on Saturday. “Today is extremely busy!”

Casey’s booth was punctuated by a giant, inflatable rooster that was visible from all over the showroom. The area features top shelf hunting opportunities, lodging, and outfitters. They understand that hunting funds a big part of their economy and welcomes them to the city.

The show ran the gamut from upland hunting to big game safaris with a smattering of fishing lodges from the region. There were even opportunities to get electronics, rods, reels and tackle. Including a selection of locally made spinner baits and other bass offerings.

“The show has been really good, these Cenaiko shows are a lot fun,” said Todd Bissett from Leena Lures. “We want everyone to come out because there’s something for every person.”

There were seminars each day from LiveScope whiz Tom Hyunh and unofficial walleye spokesperson Joe Henry, who also had a booth.

“First year show at Canterbury Park and I’m happily surprised with the crowd today,” said Joe Henry from Lake of the Woods Tourism. “Our first seminar this morning was packed!”

Everyone we spoke to was happy with the turnout. There were typical rushes that you will see at shows like this, with the first wave happening as soon as the doors open for the first time. Midday Saturday is generally very busy as well as right after church on Sundays.

What I Didn’t Expect To See

I knew there was a reptile show and there are usually some sort of wild animals at events like this, but I didn’t expect to see a sloth and a kangaroo. There was an opportunity to hangout with the sloth, (with an $80 price tag) and you could sit back and watch a guy carry around an alligator (or was it a crocodile?), but seeing the kangaroo curled up in a pouch was easily a highlight for me.

There were a number of vehicles from a new truck to Argo’s and side x sides, including a Polaris 1500 on tracks made specifically for it by a company out of Roseau called Duratracks, but the Tesla Cybertruck that was available for test rides stuck out the most. Whatever your stance on electric vehicles is, (mine is that I’m generally not a big fan), you have to admire what Elon Musk as done. The Cybertruck has it’s critics when it comes to style, but I can’t help but be intrigued by it. I had to drive it.

The first thing I noticed was how simplistic the interior was. It seemed comfortable, but basic. You had a small steering wheel and then a big touchscreen. Most of the truck’s controls where on this screen, so really it felt like a video game, aside from the 0-60mph 4.5 second acceleration. The back wheels also turn with the front wheels giving you more control. The braking was the biggest thing to prepare for and I was warned before I got in. Logan, from Tesla in Maplewood, gave me the rundown explaining that it was like driving a golf cart. When you took your foot off the gas, the truck would start braking immediately. The fact that there was no coasting would take some getting used to.

The Venue

Canterbury Park is similar to other sport show venues with a big show room and the availability of concessions, but that’s where the similarities end. First off, you have free parking right at the building like we discussed earlier. But you also have a casino with poker available. There are also different food options like pizza and pasta, big sub-style sandwiches and a food truck. Prices were a bit more reasonable than I’ve seen at other shows in the past. You can get bottled water, beers or even mixed drinks at various places and there was even a place for mini donuts!

The location will also ease your mind as you travel there as it’s right off 169 just south of 494 and nowhere near downtown. You don’t have to worry about one way traffic, bike lanes, bus lanes and any of the other downtown issues you might run into. There are a number of hotels and restaurants nearby including breweries, mexican, burger places and fast food options. You may not be walking to your hotel like you would downtown, but the drive can be less than a mile to your hotel.

We ate at Muddy Cow one night and Whisky Inferno the next. Muddy Cow had two-for-one drinks and good food and Whisky Inferno (about 6 miles from the venue) had a huge selection of whiskys from all over the world that were half price after 9 pm. Not just that, but all their steaks were half price after 9 pm. The steaks were good and being able to get them for half price after 9 on ANY day of the week is an insane deal.

Deals

I did see a number of show special pricing from different booths including Reeds, the one retailer that had a booth. There were other deals on trailers, fishing tackle, gear bags, bbq sauce and other outdoor products.

As the show grows, I’m sure there will be more retailers and vendors offering their wares at discount prices in the future.

Lodges, Resorts and Outfitters

I was there with Tazin Lake Lodge, which is located as far north and west in Saskatchewan as you can go. I’m not sure if they were the furthest lodge away from Minnesota or not, but they had to have been close. I saw places in northern Minnesota like Jessie View Resort, a do-it-yourself place on Big Jessie Lake. They rent cabins and boats, if you need one. There were a number of Minnesota and Ontario lodges with owners and guides who could answer any question you might have.

People have said sport shows are on the decline. There’s no question that the internet has changed the game, but there is still something about meeting people that you might be spending thousands of dollars with. You might even see a place that you would have never searched for on the internet that could be perfect for what you’re looking for.

The Details:

They haven’t announced dates for 2026 yet, but they did post this to their Facebook page:

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Whew! What a weekend for our inaugural Minnesota Sportsmen’s Resort, Lodge & Outdoor Products Show. Our Resorts and Lodges and other exhibitors are grateful for an amazing & productive event.

As a new show in Canterbury Park here’s what we learned. We learned the staff are among the most friendly and accommodating folks we could have ever asked to work with. These are great partners.

We learned the tunnel can get very chilly and we will noodle that out for 2026. We also learned that there is a way to fill that hallway with boats, docks or ice houses and will do so in 2026.

In Expo 2 we found a door that can open up to almost 11 feet. We plan to fill Expo 2 up with pontoons, docks and fishing boats in 2026. The remaining exhibits will move upstairs and we will fill up that room to capacity! There were a lot of exhibitors who wanted to be here this year but couldn’t. They will be here in 2026.

We knew that Joe Henry does a great job on seminars and we now know that Tom Huynh Fishing is fantastic and we will have him around more in the future.

We also learned that while we may not be the biggest show in town that when you bring the very best Resorts, Lodges and outdoor products to the public, they will embrace them.

We look forward to growing this show and are grateful to all who attended and supported our exhibitors.

Have a safe and amazing 2025!

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Canterbury is located at:

1100 Canterbury Rd
Shakopee, MN 55379

Distances from:

Fargo: 3 hours and 39 minutes / 248 miles
St Cloud: 1 hour, 19 minutes / 78 miles
Mankato: 1 hour, 2 minutes / 59 miles
Sioux Falls: 3 hours, 30 minutes / 215 miles

www.mnresortshow.com has all the details for visitors or exhibitors. Here’s what the 2025 prices, hours and more details were:

General Admission Adult Ticket: $12.00
General Admission Youth Ticket: $4.00

Show Hours
Friday: 12:00pm – 9:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am – 8:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am – 4:00pm

Location(s): 

Canterbury Park – 952-445-7223

Minnesota’s premier Sportsmen’s Show is back with a splash!
Immerse yourself in the ultimate outdoor adventure showcase, featuring the finest selection of Resorts, Lodges, Camp Grounds, Outfitters, African Safaris, Canadian Fly-Ins, Big Game Hunts and Travel Bureaus from the Midwest, Canada and Beyond. Various Tackle Companies, Fishing Electronics and other high quality Outdoor Gear will be on display. Dive into a world of engaging Hunting and Fishing seminars, and enjoy a variety of activities that promise fun for the entire family. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary gathering of outdoor enthusiasts!