tucson expo center 3750 e. irvington road tucson az 85714

“It has been through several iterations since.” “We had always wanted to do something like that,” Wolfson said. Their first show was in a 1,500-square-foot hall in town that they rented for about $300 for the weekend. That is one of our main focuses, making young people aware of native species and instilling a sense of appreciation for our wild animals.”Ī retired physician and former snake breeder, Wolfson started the reptile and amphibian show with a buddy after selling at shows in Phoenix and California. “We engage with a lot of people, a lot of children. The Tucson Herpetological Society, a group of nearly 400 members that has been promoting education concerning amphibians and reptiles found in Southern Arizona since 1988, will have a few creatures of their own on display, said Robert Villa, society president. The other tips its hat to a variety of mammals, courtesy of the Funny Foot Farm and Petting Zoo on West Wetmore Road.Įducational displays, including one from the Phoenix Herpetological Society showcasing exotic venomous snakes from across the globe. One is dedicated to reptiles and amphibians, including alligators and giant tortoises. The show also has reptile-adjacent products like jewelry and artwork that pay homage to the snakes and lizards of the world. “They are some of the coolest looking animals in the world, just ridiculously bright colors.” “I have several dealers who mainly do poison dart frogs,” Wolfson said. Vendors selling every product imaginable to help you get your reptile family off the ground, including the right food, enclosures and even the reptiles and amphibians themselves. The petting zoo has become a staple attraction at the annual Tucson Reptile & Amphibian Show & Sale. The show, which pre-COVID, was attracting 8,000-10,000 folks a year, is meant to be a blast for reptile fans, but also exciting and interesting for non-reptile people, Wolson said. With more than 100 vendors and exhibitors from across the country and around 1,000 reptile and amphibian species taking up 60,000 square feet of space at the Tucson Expo Center on East Irvington Road, you’d be hard pressed to find another show as expansive in the state, said its director and founder, Mark Wolfson.

Ingle may just have his cell phone camera ready for TikToks when he and his crew set up at the 19th annual Tucson Reptile & Amphibian Show and Sale on Saturday, Oct. “The platform is pretty awesome,” said Ingle, who opened Ever Evolving Exotics eight years ago. In one TikTok, a knob-tailed gecko backs under a rock while an audio recording of a woman trying to reach him concerning his car’s extended warranty plays in the background. Scroll through Ingle’s videos and you’ll find Kenyan sand boas slithering against one other and a monkey tailed skink noshing on lettuce.

Tucson expo center 3750 e. irvington road tucson az 85714