The “Dixon’s Gunmakers Fair” created a legacy in Eastern Pennsylvania nearly 40 years ago. In 2020 the Dixon Family announced they would not be able to host the fair anymore, leaving a hole in the muzzle loading community of the area. Shortly after this announcement, representatives from the Honourable Company of Horners, Pennsylvania Federation of Blackpowder Shooters, Jacobsburg Historical Society and NMLRA united to continue the legacy started by the Dixon Family.

With the full blessing of the Dixon’s, the Gunmakers Fair at Kempton was born and in July 2022 the first event was held at the Kempton Community Center in Eastern Pennsylvania.

I’ve always heard of the enthusiasm Pennsylvanians have for muzzleloading, but I didn’t understand it until I was standing in a packed room full of muzzleloading enthusiasts, unable to move. The three day show started on Friday, July 29 and by 10 am it was clear the event would be a success. Cars were pouring into the entrance and by noon the main parking lots were filling fast. For the first day of a new event, it was a great turnout.

Attendance continued to rise through the weekend, totaling around 2500 attendees for the weekend, excluding businesses and artists.

In the spirit of the original Dixon’s event, the Kempton organizers wanted to continue the two major attractions of these event, the educational seminars and the contemporary accoutrement judging. Both of these event features are pretty unique, though I’d love to see them at more events across the country.

The educational seminars are a series of talks and presentations given by contemporary masters on a variety of topics. From stock finishing and engraving to the history of horn work and lock tuning, there is a seminar for any interest you might have. The best part? These seminars are free with your admission. Hosted in an open-air pavilion, the seminars are a great shady place to sit down and learn through the weekend. You can come and go as you please and attend as many as you want. It’s really one of the best things I’ve seen at a muzzleloading event. As much as many of us publish educational content online, there is no replacement for an in-person seminar hosted at the Kempton Gunmakers Fair.

The contemporary accouterments judging at Kempton runs through all three days of the fair, concluding on Sunday around 2pm. This is an opportunity for makers of all skill levels to enter their work and receive constructive and informative feedback and critiques about their work. While the entrants are judged across the board on various artistic qualities, this isn’t a competition. The goal of the accouterment judging is meant to help everyone grow as an artist and become more skilled in their chosen crafts. In years past, there were only a couple of youth entries into the accouterment judging but this year everyone was excited to see 10 entries by artists younger than 18 years of age, making for a bright future of accouterment making.

Regardless of your interest in learning or having your work critiqued, there was plenty of shopping and friendship to be found at Kempton. Both large halls were filled with tables covered in everything you might need to get going in muzzleloading. Outside you could find a dozen more tents and vendors ready to supply your next trek or project. Fairs like Kempton are a great place to shop because you can talk to the person running the business you are supporting, it’s so much more personal than shopping online. Not to mention the money saved on shipping costs!

Those looking for more educational opportunities enjoyed the living history area at Kempton. While it wasn’t as large as you may see in other events, this area is ready to grow with the event at Kempton. Groups were camped representing traditional crafts, military units, and militia of early America. All groups were eager to chat with attendees and share some history.

I can’t express enough how much fun I had at this event and how good it was to get out and talk with the muzzleloading enthusiasts of Pennsylvania. It’s great to chat online, but it can get lonely when we’re online all the time, myself included. Chatting with each and every one of you at Kempton was the highlight of my trip and I can’t wait to come back. If you couldn’t make it, I encourage you to try to next year. The event can be seen in one day, but I really recommend a two-day trip if you can to make sure you get the most of your time at the Kempton Gunmakers Fair.