SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Gun Show is coming back to town after being turned away at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

Gov. Gavin Newsom prohibited all gun shows on state property, sending gun show organizers searching for alternative venues.

“The fairgrounds were the perfect venue for a gun show, it is exactly the type of venue we needed,” said Michael Schwartz from the San Diego County Gun Owners Pac.

Now, the San Diego Gun Show has headed off the coast.

“We are having to be creative and improvise. We are out at a Masonic Temple out in the east side of the city of San Diego, they’ve been very welcoming,” Schwartz said.

Gun control activists are unhappy with the new announcement.

“It’s hard to negotiate with someone who doesn’t recognize the problem,” said Max Coston from the Safer California Pac.

Activists believe if gun owners bought into safer storage, universal background checks and more gun training shootings could be curtailed.

“Our country will continue to have a problem until we get to a point where we never see someone walk on campus and open fire or we also never see students have to do active shooter drills,” Coston said.

Gun show organizers say their customer demographic has changed recently with most people buying guns responding to the rise in crimes.

“This is not just hunters and hobbyists. It’s not just a bunch of people wearing camouflage, these are everyday people who just want to protect themselves,” Schwartz said.  

The San Diego Gun show is scheduled on Oct. 21 at the East San Diego Masonic Lodge. Tickets are $15 and free for children under 12.