Though it's a 1-day drive for me. Gas + hotel + other travel related expenses would mean no money to buy knives once I got there, so I ended up not going.
1 day drive from Tennessee to Atlanta??
It's just not economical if you look at attending a national trade show as a trip to "buy knives". Most people that go to Blade Show no doubt look at it more like a vacation. It's an experience, not to be confused with a trip to a gun store.
Why do people go to SEMA or Shot Show, or CES? It's not to buy cars or guns or technology, it's because they are a enthusiast of those wares and want to immerse themselves in that culture for a day or a week. Knives have to be a HUGE part of your life if you make $25,000yr and only take a vacation every 3 years to warrant going to Blade show. The more disposable income and the more you travel, the more reasonable it becomes to include it as a possible destination if knives is a moderate interest.
Someone told me when I was 15 to spend my $$$ on experiences more than material things. I can say that I don't regret taking that advice. I have the resources to do a little of both now, and some people think of it like "Well if I buy 5 knives today I will have 5 knives next week, but if I go to Blade Show I won't have anything next week except memories". The truth is, you can't take them to the grave, and people that are shaped by experiences are far more interesting and well rounded than those people that have the unfortunate circumstances of allowing material possessions to shape their personality. If someone steals their guns or knives, they will have a very empty sense of self. After they show off their possessions, there is very little left to do.
Plus, if you are spending 90% of your income on knives (I know you're a teenager and teenagers get wrapped up in hobbies more easily, nothing to be ashamed of!) and 90% of your time learning about them and discussing them, Blade show would be a real good way to meet more people that will appreciate that knowledge and dedication. You will never sustain the magnitude of that kind of interest without developing a circle of friends with that interest - average people or people with other interests just don't care about S30V or Axis Locks as much as they should! It's a great experience for a knife enthusiast - if you do go make the most of it you can in every way you can, do not let something like a crowd or a bad experience with a vendor ruin your whole trip, and just try to be genuinely excited about as much of it as you can.
I have been the last 2 years,it is a great show. I think it is worth going no matter where you live,it's really nice seeing all of the knifes in person and meeting the maker. If you want to save some money you can pitch a tent in my yard.
I guess, if it wasn't for YOLO, why do we need so many knives anyway? I mean, a box cutter cuts. 
