Food, fun and fancy boats were all available this weekend at the “30th Annual KNOE Boat and Outdoor Show.” The show ran Friday through Saturday and took place at the Monroe Civic Center.

KNOE representative Billy Elliot wasn’t surprised by the number of people who came to the show.

“You would think that the rain might dissuade people from coming, but it’s just the opposite actually,” he said.

“They want to get out of the rain, and what better place to come than the KNOE Boat and Outdoor Show.”

The show’s purpose was to provide families and members of Monroe’s community with a place to come and enjoy themselves.

People came out in droves to escape from the rain and enjoy the activities available at the show.

Guns, knives, boats, RVs and other outdoor equipment were being sold throughout the civic center. At every turn, there was a new stand filled with goodies and the smiling face of someone ready to help.

Charles Hollis, a senior art major, said that there was so much more than just boats and outdoor equipment, which pleasantly surprised him.

One couple’s stand was packed with handcrafted pens. Daniel Littleton took up the hobby six years ago after his son passed away.

He carves the base of the pen out of deer antlers and attaches custom fitted quills to each one.

The event also had the trending “tiny houses” on display available for people to explore as they walked up to the civic center.

“A lot of the items were antiques. I saw swords and guns that were old but in pristine condition,” Hollis said. He also got to check out a few of the RVs and said he’d like to live in one someday so he can travel.

Musician Ralph Miller played everything from old 60’s tunes to folk songs in the main arena as people went from stand to stand.

Glory Farms provided a petting zoo for the kids, along with every animal one could imagine.

Piglets, alligators, bunnies and goats were all waiting to be loved on and fed snacks.

Janie Berks, owner of Halo Dips, sold her “sinfully delicious” homemade dip mixes at the show.

Berks said that she and her husband, David, were at a similar event in Shreveport when a boat dealer asked if they were going to attend the Monroe event as well.

“I asked, ‘What’s in Monroe?’ but it’s been nice and busy,” Berks said. The names of the dips were pretty catchy too.

For instance, doesn’t “Bacon n’ Beer” and “Memphis Ranch” sound unique?

Another cool feature was a life-size replica of the “batmobile.” Fans could take pictures with Batman and Catwoman while standing next to the “batmobile.”

The indoor show even had a laser shot shooting range. Kids and adults alike showed off their shooting skills through virtual deer and duck hunting.

Information about current gun and knife laws were also available for interested buyers.