Story by Fred Stabbert III
SUFFERN — March 12, 2013 — If success is a traffic jam, then the 35th Annual World Fishing & Outdoor Expo at Rockland County Community College was a smash.
As streams of cars filed off the New York State Thruway at the Airmont Rd. exit, the tiny thoroughfares leading to Rockland County Community College were packed with sportsmen of all ages.
“I thought the show was very, very good. Saturday and Sunday were very busy,” Tony Ritter, who has been selling Upper Delaware guided fishing trips for the past 20 years said. “This was my 15th year at the show and it was a good, healthy turnout and the weather was good.”
Several Sullivan County businesses and groups were represented at the “Suffern Show,” as it is commonly known, promoting the great outdoors, real estate, and all the wonderful stores and shops Sullivan County has to offer.
“This was our 30th annual show,” Fred Stabbert III, publisher of the Sullivan County Democrat, said. “I wouldn’t miss it. It is an excellent opportunity to promote Sullivan County and attract people to our area.”
The Democrat actually has its own booth, where it distributes Catskill-Delaware magazine, an outdoor guide to the area.
“They fly off the table,” Stabbert said. “The Rockland Show is also a great place to meet friends who visit our area every year and update them on the changes and new offerings in our area.”
While exact attendance figures were not available, promoters estimate that between 15-20,000 people visit the show each day during its four-day run in Suffern.
“And the nice thing was I saw a few people from the Catskills there,” Ritter said. “You are dealing with a lot of people from the Metropolitan area who come up here.
“They picked up the Catskill-Delaware magazine and it’s essential to give them something to pick up and refer back to.”
In addition to the Democrat and Ritter, the Roscoe-Rockland Chamber of Commerce was also promoting the area.