Party in the Parking Lot - The Shooting Wire

The archery community here in Arizona is a strong one—more importantly, it’s a true community, with companies supporting each other and valuing inclusion over exclusion.

That was never more evident than this past Saturday when Marsupial Gear hosted its second annual Party in the Parking Lot event at its headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona.

It was something of a block party—one where your neighbors show up, bring something to share, and stick around for a good time.

The event started simply as a garage sale at the end of the western big game hunting season. Marsupial specializes in rugged, hand-sewn gear specifically designed to survive the harsh climates and demands of hunting big game in America’s western states, season after season.

The event gives the company the opportunity to reduce inventory levels and sell off products set aside as ‘blem’. This is done at significant savings for local hunters and archers in the Phoenix Valley.

According to Jared Kaiser, Director of Marketing and Business Development for Marsupial, the event transformed in 2025 from a steadily growing garage sale into the Party in the Parking Lot—expanding to include other companies serving the western hunter.

“What if we invited some of our friends in the industry to come set up and talk with their customers as well?” was the question that got the ball rolling, Kaiser explained.

“They’re all friends of ours that we personally invited out here. We don’t charge them anything to set up—we just tell them to come out, hang out with us, sell some gear, and talk with customers.”

Within the first two hours, this year’s event drew more than 1,000 people through the parking lot, talking with the various archery and hunting businesses in attendance. Kaiser estimated total attendance could reach 2,000, though the heat might keep it closer to 1,500.

This past weekend, the Phoenix Valley was under an extreme heat warning. The Luke Days Airshow at nearby Luke Air Force Base saw more than 400 people treated for heat-related illness, with over 25 hospitalized, according to local reports.

Because of the unusually high heat this year, Kaiser said the plan for 2027 will be to push the date back to late February, after the Western Hunting & Conservation Expo.

Beating the heat was easier thanks to the Kona Shaved Ice truck. Shaleen Burns and her husband brought their three kids to the event. Below, their son Wilder—also a bowhunter—dives face-first into his shaved ice. Photos: P. Erhardt

The event was set up to be family-oriented, complete with food trucks and a petting zoo to accommodate the younger demographic that makes up Marsupial Gear’s customer base. Everywhere you looked, there were kids, with families spread across the wrap-around parking lot.

Above, local influencer and hunting ambassador Ryan Smith of Hunt AZ talks all things hunting to a family. Meanwhile, a group of kids explores the pop-up tent atop the Marsupial Gear pickup truck. Photos: P. Erhardt

For the invited companies the relationship with Marsupial Gear is the major reason for their participation.

Prized Possessions is a young local company that started on a whim back during COVID making metal displays for taxidermy. Owner Noah Gotsis explained why his company participated.

“From day one, the guys over at Marsupial have been by our side, helping us grow,” he said. “We did it [Party in the Parking Lot] last year, and it was phenomenal. We want to support them, and it's also nice to see all the local guys here that support us.”

Prized Possessions recently returned from the NWTF Convention—its first major trade show since going full-time. While the response from turkey hunters exceeded all expectations, ties to the local Arizona hunting community keep them energized. Photo: P. Erhardt

The same is true for another new local company, Apex Predator Energy.

Founded three years ago by avid hunter Joseph Franzmeier—a full-time firefighter and captain with Surprise (AZ) Fire-Medical—Apex Predator Energy is his answer to sugar-packed energy drinks. It’s made here in the USA and formulated to deliver clean, sustained energy without the crash or jitters.

Franzmeier’s energy drink is sold online and through local independent archery shops that support his brand. He described being honored to have been invited by Marsupial Gear to the Party in the Parking Lot.

“Marsupial is a great company, and I love that they're locally owned. I love everything that Jim Graham (Marsupial Gear’s founder) has done with it. They're family oriented. They really care about their employees, and the customer service, internal and external, is second to none. I really want to try and find companies that I can align myself with, and I felt like they were just a great fit.”

Joseph Franzmeier (left) was busy pouring samples of his Apex Predator Energy drink, which comes in Original, Wild Berry, and Cherry Lime—my favorite of the three. Photo: P. Erhardt

Local archery shops were also among those chatting up customers and vibing with the Grand Canyon State’s archery community. Talking to the guys from Ross Outdoors, they explained why the archery community here in Arizona is so active.

They told me that there are 3D shoots taking place all the time, and there is strong demand for archery deer season every year, driven by easy access to go hunting. In fact, the bulk of the hunting done in Arizona, they say, is archery because it is so hard to allocate rifle tags in the draw system, resulting in more opportunity for hunters with over-the-counter archery deer tags.

Over at the Ross tent (above) the guys offered to help me set up a bow I’ve had for far too many years without ever using. First step: restringing it—for obvious reasons. There’d be a charge, of course, but I assume the superhero posing is free. Below, Eddie Astorga (seated) chats with attendees that visited the Arizona Archery Club tent throughout the day. Testament to the popularity of archery shops here in the Valley. Photos: P. Erhardt

The archery retailer plays an important role in sustaining and growing the archery market. Eddie Astorga of Arizona Archery Club talked to me—a certified novice—about their Discover Archery class.

The class covers the basics for someone just learning to shoot a bow. This can be anyone from eight years old and above. It’s an hour-long class with a coach and all the equipment is provided at their indoor facility, which means there’s air conditioning—an important feature here in triple-digit Arizona.

While the local archery shops are working on a steady flow of new archers and bowhunters, others are focused on equipping the current avid sportsman and woman.

MUTNT Gear, out of Camp Verde, Arizona, designs accessories for binoculars to make your glassing easier and lighter. Their carbon fiber tripods and various fluid and ball heads are enough to make any photographer drool—ask me how I know.

But for the hunter, especially the western states hunter who doesn’t count in steps but in miles when scouting, today’s modern lightweight gear is a must. And hunters know it.

I played with their ball head with a rifle chassis mounted on it. Smooth is almost not enough to describe how easily and effortlessly the gun swung up and down and from one side to the other.

Having only heard the name of the brand, it was a great opportunity to go hands-on with their gear..

The MUTNT tent (above) had all the cool toys for the serious hunters that recognize glassing as the essential element when hunting big game in the western states. Below, Anthony Stallone talks about the advantages of lightweight shooting bags, Photos: P. Erhardt

Anthony Stallone, President of Phoenix Shooting Bags, is another local manufacturer that Marsupial Gear invited to participate. His bags are sewn from Cordura nylon 1000D and filled with a lightweight material that make them ideal for rifle hunters.

He offers a variety of sizes and designs in various colors, as well as similar items like a Glassing Seat / Glassing Pad made with 1000D Cordura and non-slip nylon that weighs just 10 ounces.

My favorite design of his is the TBD, which stands for Tony Bag of Doughnuts. The bag comes in five colors, including limited edition Hot Pink, and weighs in at 7.1 ounces. It’s perfect for use on a tripod, a boulder, or wedged between tree limbs.

The website humorously notes the bag’s alternate use: “Lastly, one of my favorite uses to this bag is that I can use it as a pillow to take a nap in the afternoon.”

The Party in the Parking Lot didn’t just bring together the Phoenix archery hunting community to hang out and search for a bargain. The event also raised money through several giveaways for a worthy cause, Fathers in the Field.

One giveaway during the event was for an Arrowhead Rifles (another local company present on Saturday) Custom .22 Creedmoor rifle with a Defiance Machine action, McMillan stock, and carbon wrapped Brux barrel, paired with a Marsupial Gear rifle case. Photo: P. Erhardt

The organization is based out of Phoenix and their mission is “To rekindle and establish the spirit of boys who have been abandoned by their fathers; mentoring them one-on-one in life skills through outdoor activities, and by sharing a Christian understanding of our Heavenly Father’s love and sacrifice for His children.”

In lay terms, they take young boys that have no father figure in their lives out hunting. Among its board members is Kyle Weaver, who you might better recognize as the CEO and President of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

There was a lot more to see at the Party in the Parking Lot, and numerous other companies in attendance, such as Black Horn Guide Services, Hike to Hunt, JC Custom Kydex, Kickin’ K Taxidermy, Leupold, Sonoran Made, String Theory Gear, and Swarovski.

And, of course, there was Caldwell County BBQ, which has four locations in Arizona in addition to their catering truck in the Marsupial Gear parking lot.

Marsupial Gear brought in Kona Shaved Ice, and a coffee truck, and Caldwell County BBQ, all to keep the archery community well fed. Photos: P. Erhardt

If you're going to be in Arizona around the end of February, plan to attend the 2027 Party in the Parking Lot. As Jared Kaiser told me, they expect to encircle the entire building with tents.

And based on this year’s turnout, Marsupial Gear has no shortage of friends in the industry to call on.

– Paul Erhardt, Managing Editor, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network