BREAKING: NRA cancels 2021 Annual Meeting & Exhibits which were scheduled for Houston Sept. 3-5

NRA cited COVID-19 as the reason for the cancellation.

Citing concerns for its members and the community, the National Rifle Association has cancelled its 2021 Annual Meeting & Exhibits which were scheduled to be held in Houston September 3-5, according to documents obtained by Armed American News.

NRA President Carolyn D. Meadows just sent out the following message to the NRA’s Board of Directors:

Dear NRA Board Member,

Like all of you, I’ve been so looking forward to our Annual Meeting – its’s our chance each year to celebrate freedom with fellow patriots.  That’s why it pains me to share with you that after many in-depth meetings and discussions the officers have made the hard but just decision to cancel the upcoming NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Houston next week.

I know many of you on our Board, our selfless volunteers, NRA’s diligent staff and the hard working folks in the convention and hospitality business in Houston have labored for months trying to make this 150th anniversary event a reality.  I appreciate that you, my fellow Board members, adapted and worked to facilitate a rescheduled annual meeting in  the spring to one over the Labor Day weekend.  But, at the end of the day, our largest and greatest duty of care is to our faithful members.

I have enclosed a statement below that we will be sharing with our members and the public shortly.

I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

According to the email, this is the statement NRA will be releasing to the public soon:

Important Announcement:  Event Cancellation

Due to concern over the safety of our NRA family and community, we regret to inform you that we have decided to cancel the 2021 Annual Meeting & Exhibits. ​This cancellation applies to all events and meetings that were scheduled in Houston. We will provide future notification regarding a rescheduled date for the annual Meeting of Members. 

We make this difficult decision after analyzing relevant data regarding COVID-19 in Harris County, Texas. We also consulted with medical professionals, local officials, major sponsors & exhibitors, and many NRA members before arriving at this decision. The NRA Annual Meeting welcomes tens of thousands of people, and involves many events, meetings, and social gatherings. Among the highlights of our annual meeting are acres of exhibit space featuring the latest and greatest firearms, the display of countless accessories, and the offering of adventures and group gatherings that many travel hundreds, and some even thousands, of miles to experience. We realize that it would prove difficult, if not impossible, to offer the full guest experience that our NRA members deserve.  

The NRA’s top priority is ensuring the health and well-being of our members, staff, sponsors, and supporters.  We are mindful that NRA Annual Meeting patrons will return home to family, friends and co-workers from all over the country, so any impacts from the virus could have broader implications. Those are among the reasons why we decided to cancel our 2021 event.

We would like to thank our members, attendees, exhibitors, and staff for their understanding and support. We are grateful for the many contributions of the George R. Brown Convention Center, state and local officials, community organizers, area hotels, and countless event venues across Houston. We receive enormous support from Houston and the State of Texas – and we hope to return to the Bayou City for a full annual meeting experience. 

The NRA looks forward to a Celebration of Freedom in Louisville in May 2022. In the meantime, we will support many other NRA local events and smaller gatherings – in a manner that is protective of our members and celebrates our Second Amendment freedom.     

We wish continued health and safety to our entire NRA family.  ​

Please check back throughout the day for more information about this breaking story.

Lee