The World Taxidermy and Fish Carving Championships, sponsored by BREAKTHROUGH magazine, a taxidermy trade publication, will be held at the downtown Peoria Civic Center May 16–20, 2017. The competition is a display of the finest mounted wildlife and detailed fish carvings you will ever see in one venue. The competition includes a variety of native U.S. wildlife and many more species from around the world. Approximately 1,000 taxidermists and fish carvers are going to be in attendance at this year’s show. Past shows in the Midwest area have attracted 600 to 700 entries, representing all 50 states and over 20 countries.

The five-day convention will be open for public viewing at the Peoria Civic Center on Friday, May 19 from 6 - 10 p.m. and Saturday, May 20 from 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. This renowned exhibition is held every two years and allows a rare glimpse into this fascinating world of taxidermy and fish carving. Admission for the public viewing is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children 15 years of age or younger. Benefits from this admission go to the World Show Award Fund, and 25 percent goes to a selected Peoria charity.

On Saturday during the public viewing times, there will be a huge exhibition area featuring the major suppliers of taxidermy services, supplies, and technology. This is a closed trade show, but a special registration fee of $20.00 has been established for anyone interested in taxidermy to access both the trade show and competition. For a detailed schedule of events and more information, visit www.taxidermy.net/wtc.