Organizers of a gun show to be held June 14–15 expect to fill 150 tables with weapons, ranging from antique weapons and collectibles, knives, ammunition, shooting accessories and modern firearms.
When asked what constitutes a modern weapon, organizer Cathy Petronis of New EastCoast Arms Collectors Associates replied, “If there is ammunition available for it, it’s a modern weapon.”
The hours of operation for the event are 9 a.m.–5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.–3 p.m. on Sunday. General admission is $8 or $7 for seniors and veterans. Children under 14 get in free, but must be accompanied by an adult.
According to its rules and regulations, New EastCoast Arms Collectors Associates does not allow carrying of firearms in holsters, belts or pocket; loaded firearms; operative class III weapons (machine guns, silencers); auto conversion kits; throwing stars, chukka sticks and related martial arts weaponry; or gunpowder.
Cathy and her husband, David Petronis, run New EastCoast Arms Collectors Associates. David previously spoke to the Saugerties Town Board about the show. On one point, that an ATF agent will be present at the show, Cathy, in a phone conversation last week, clarified that the ATF presence is purely on paper. Purchasers of a modern firearm must fill out a multi-page transaction record generated by the ATF and overseen by the FBI. At checkout, the vendor calls a special 800 number. Information reported to the FBI includes the name, address, place and date of birth, height, weight, and gender, citizenship and ethnicity of the purchaser. The ATF form also asks about felony convictions, treatment or confinement for mental illness, arrests or convictions for domestic violence or substance abuse. This information is not reported to either the ATF or the FBI. Rather, it remains with the form in the files of the individual licensed dealers.
Background checks at gun shows are mandated in only five states, New York being among them.
The gun show generated some controversy when it was announced last month, with some residents speaking at a Town Board meeting to object to the show’s proximity to the junior/senior high school and recreation complex. However, in a poll on the Saugerties Times website, 82 percent of respondents said the venue was an acceptable location for the show.
Join the family! 
