Chaos on the Colorado: Survivalist Expo Wraps Up Today at Fieldhouse

BULLHEAD CITY — The Chaos On The Colorado River Survivalist Expo at Anderson Auto Group Fieldhouse featured an intriguing mix of vendors and products, drawing attendees like Jeff Petersen, who entered the main floor shortly after the event began. Accompanied by his wife and father-in-law, Petersen initially planned to observe but soon found himself inspecting various rifles.

“Just came to look around and see what’s available, what’s on display,” Petersen commented, as he took a closer look at the inventory from local vendor Gary Konigsmark of Konigsmark Supply Company. As they browsed, a semi-automatic rifle with a blue muzzle, stock, and grip caught the eye of his wife Rebecca Petersen.

Despite showing interest in purchasing, Petersen hesitated. Although the rifle fit within his budget, he wasn’t quite ready to make the decision on the spot.

The Petersens weren’t the only ones captivated by the array of items. Attendees explored offerings that spanned from firearms and knives to ammunition, scopes, and survival gear. The expo also showcased boats, generators, and other essential survivalist equipment—all featured over a three-day span and presented by Murphy Broadcasting.

Vendor traffic varied notably throughout the event. “A little more traffic today,” noted Konigsmark, who described the first day as “pretty slow.” Alex McGrady of High Desert Defense Solutions from Palmdale, California, echoed similar sentiments. “A lot of lookers, just not many buyers,” he said.

High Desert Defense Solutions offered an assortment of survival and protective gear, including medical kits, body armor, helmets, and comprehensive disaster kits. These kits contained essentials such as ready-to-eat meals, blankets, gloves, ponchos, water filters, flashlights, and compasses. “We tried to go with the whole survivalist expo theme,” said McGrady. “We tried to cover all the bases.”

Some vendors were hoping for increased business on the event’s final day. However, not all feedback was positive. One Tri-state vendor expressed disappointment over the lack of both public attendance and representation from off-the-grid businesses. “It’s Saturday afternoon,” he noted, scanning the near-empty floor, “and there’s nobody here.”

The event concludes today, running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the fieldhouse. Admission is $10 for adults, while children 16 and younger enter free when accompanied by a paying adult.