Jeff Swiatek

jeff.swiatek@indystar.com

Sure, there will be guns.

An entire wall of guns (unusual models, secured in locked cabinets). An air gun shooting range (catering to kids, but adults can blast away, too). Ballrooms full of exhibitors selling guns and everything firearms-related. (Care for an Israeli-designed "Cornershot" rifle that fires around corners? Come to Booth 4045.)

But the National Rifle Association's annual convention, coming this year to Indianapolis on April 25-27, is also about politics, country music and one big prayer breakfast.

"A very exciting and unique opportunity" is the way Chris Gahl, vice president of marketing and communications for Visit Indy, describes the 70,000-plus-visitor event that will be the third-largest convention that Indianapolis has hosted.

While primarily a time to talk, swap, show off and ogle guns, the NRA convention has evolved into a right-leaning political stage, a country hoedown and a celebrity-gawking opportunity that this year will draw two sitting governors and three U.S. senators as well as one ex-politician who tends to grab more media limelight than current office holders: 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

Palin, a former Alaska governor and moose hunter, will be a "special guest" at the convention April 26 during a Stand and Fight Rally in Lucas Oil Stadium. Oliver North, a political commentator and author and former Marine Corps lieutenant colonel who starred in the Iran-Contra affair in the late 1980s, also will appear at the rally.

The convention won't stint on politicians. A raft of them are confirmed so far to speak at an April 25 leadership forum at Lucas Oil, including Govs. Mike Pence of Indiana and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and U.S. Sens. Dan Coats of Indiana, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida. All are Republicans.

The leadership forum, billed as a defense of Second Amendment right-to-bear-arms issues, also will feature speeches by radio talk show host Mark Levin and Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri.

The NRA convention also mixes in plenty of music, and the strain is distinctly country.

April 25 brings Country Jam IV, featuring country artists Joe Nichols and Jerrod Niemann Nichols at the Crane Bay Event Center, located near Lucas Oil Stadium. The next night, the country group Alabama and singer Sara Evans will perform at the Stand and Fight Rally at Lucas Oil.

And before visitors depart on Sunday, they can attend a 7 a.m. prayer breakfast, held in the JW Marriott hotel's massive ballroom and featuring keynoter Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham.

Tickets for the most of the events range from $10 to $40 and are sold at the NRA's website.

NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said convention attendance has increased about 50 percent since 2000, and the annual event has become a money-maker for the NRA, though he wouldn't say how much revenue it generates for the Fairfax, Va.-based group. The NRA has a $300 million annual budget and 5 million dues-paying members.

Gahl, of Visit Indy, sees the convention and its mixed offerings helping to bring Indianapolis a host of publicity from the 400 media personnel who'll cover it.

"There is an incredible amount of media attention around the NRA's convention as a whole," he said. "And a lot of media looking to talk about what the political celebrities are talking about. Hosting the NRA will shine the spotlight on Indianapolis and ... on our hotels, restaurants and attractions."

Call Star reporter Jeff Swiatek at (317) 444-6483. Follow him on Twitter: @JeffSwiatek.