With the cancellation of the SHOT Show 2021 due to ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic and to much disappointment in the firearms and airsoft community, many are wondering if the IWA Outdoor Classics 2021 will be cancelled too. It is understandable given as there is much uncertainty on when the pandemic will end as the authorities, including the scientific community, do not have a definite answer.

The organisers of the IWA Outdoor Classics are still preparing for the event, which is set to be held on 12-15 March 2021 in Nuremberg, Germany, but they have announced another event that will be held in the summer at the Lembeck Castle in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is more a consumer-oriented event that will be held outdoors called “HUBANA 2021 – Jagderlebnistage Schloss Lembeck” or "HUBANA 2021 - Hunting Days at Lembeck Castle" and will be on the 25-27 July 201. IWA Outdoor Classics is a trade event that is open to trade/business visitors rather consumers.

Photo: Lembeck Castle (Source: Wikimedia)

HUBANA 2021, since it is a consumer-oriented event, is open to the public, especially to the hunting sector.  In case it is still untenable to hold the IWA Outdoor Classics 2021, the organisers can have HUBANA 2021 as a fallback event given that Covid-19 cases are lower during the summer season and outdoor events are safer than to hold indoor events in case pandemic is still ongoing by the middle of 2021.

More details about the event in a press release from the organisers:

IWA OutdoorClassics GOES CONSUMER: re-start in summer with new name

Following this year's cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic, the consumer event will take now place under the new name “HUBANA 2021 – Jagderlebnistage Schloss Lembeck” from 25 to 27 July 2021 at Lembeck Castle in North-Rhine Westphalia. The event will be organised by the IWA OutdoorClassics team to the customary high standard of quality and will allow visitors to test and buy a wide range of products in a unique open-air setting. The event is supported by hunting associations KJS Hubertus Recklinghausen e. V. and Hegering Herrlichkeit Lembeck und Dorsten e. V.

The “HUBANA – Jagderlebnistage Schloss Lembeck” will take place in in North-Rhine Westphalia in the summer of 2021 and is aimed at consumers. With its regional European atmosphere and open-air product tests, the event will offer a special experience. It has been initiated by the IWA OutdoorClassics as a response to the increasing importance of the consumer in the hunting sector and will bring together traditions and customs with trends and innovation. It will also be the launchpad for a series of events, with partner events set to follow within Germany and in other European countries.

Local hunters endorse the event

Petra Bauernfeind-Beckmann, President of KJS Hubertus Recklinghausen e. V. and Chair of the Hunting Customs Preservation Committee, welcomes the event: “As a regional hunting community we support events that help nurture and protect our customs and traditions, so we are pleased to give our backing to ‘HUBANA – Jagderlebnistage Schloss Lembeck’.” The 2,000-member association has nine hunting groups, making it one of the largest members of the North-Rhine Westphalian Hunting Federation.

Hermann Wolff, President of the hunting association Herrlichkeit Lembeck und Dorsten e. V., is also aware of the resulting opportunities to enhance the reputation of hunting: “An event of this kind helps us with our PR activities as it allows us to inform and educate visitors and help create a lasting positive image of the hunting community among the general population. Because hunting continues to be an important factor in species and nature conservation.”

Experience hunting with all your senses

The baroque-style castle is surrounded by medieval-looking moats and is a unique event location. The 300-year-old castle is in the border region to France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The expansive grounds mean that there is plenty of room for visitors to move around comfortably. In addition, a nearby shooting range will allow numerous tests to be carried out under realistic conditions. As well as hunting sights and accessories, holders of the German ‘grüne/gelbe Waffenbesitzkarte’ (hunters/sport shooters permit) can test out rifles and ammunition at the HUBANA. Manufacturers and dealers of off-road vehicles suitable for hunting will also be on site to present their products. The prestigious location and an exciting supporting programme add to the calibre of the event. “We are bringing the innovations in the sector to the place where they belong: to the great outdoors among like-minded people,” says Rebecca Schönfelder, Exhibition Director IWA OutdoorClassics and HUBANA. “If a product passes their personal test, visitors can pay for it and take it with them or place an order,” Schönfelder continues.