Small-Group Conversations. Real Industry Dialogue. On the Show Floor.

The outdoor industry runs on relationships — but the best ones rarely happen in a booth or a crowded aisle. OR Gatherings are a new series of intimate, small-group discussions debuting at Outdoor Retailer 2026, created in partnership with Basecamp Outdoor. Designed to move conversations beyond the trade show aisles, each Gathering is a focused, round-table exchange on the business challenges, professional development, and leadership topics that matter most right now.

Sessions take place in the Basecamp Outdoor Lounge, a purpose-built space dedicated to connection and exchange, on Thursday, August 20 and Friday, August 21 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. All OR Gatherings are open to registered Outdoor Retailer attendees.

What Are OR Gatherings?

OR Gatherings move the conversation beyond the trade show aisles. Instead of a speaker talking at a room from a stage, each Gathering is a facilitated, round-table conversation — a small group trading honest notes on a shared challenge, guided by an industry leader who has lived it.

The format is intentionally different from a traditional panel or keynote. There is time and framework for genuine exchange, so you leave with practical takeaways and new relationships rather than a business card and a blur. Sessions bring together voices from the outdoor, lifestyle, and action sports communities, and they are supported through Outdoor Retailer’s show app — so you can preview discussion topics, register in advance, and connect with peers before you arrive.

OR Gatherings Schedule

All sessions run 30–40 minutes and take place in the Basecamp Outdoor Lounge on the show floor in booth 255.

Thursday, August 20

1:00 PM — Storytelling as Outdoor Leadership
Presented by: Angie Lake — Founder, Wild Woman Trail Runs; Host, See Her Outside · Area I

Your adventure story can go far beyond campfire entertainment — it can be a leadership tool for advocacy, inclusion, and inspiring a community to take action. Explore the power of your everyday athlete stories, why the most impactful moments aren’t the glamorous summit shots, and how to build a bridge from story to cause. Bring an idea for a story that’s been sitting in your Notes app, and leave with a new perspective to make it land for your next outdoor audience.

1:00 PM — Going Hard Without Blowing Up: Sustaining Exceptional Performance
Presented by: Founder & CEO, AWExpeditions; Co-Owner, Dreamland Safari Tours · Area II

Burnout isn’t a willpower problem, and the fix isn’t a bubble bath. Sunny has set endurance records on three continents and runs a portfolio of outdoor businesses; the discipline turns out to be the same — pacing, fueling, and knowing the difference between discomfort and damage. In this round-table conversation, we’ll trade honest notes on what actually keeps high performers going: what you’ve tried, what failed, and the warning signs you’ve learned to catch early. Leave with a handful of practices — borrowed from ultra-endurance and from each other — for going hard without blowing up.

2:00 PM — The Pitch That Gets Read: Secrets to Winning Media Coverage and Building Relationships
Presented by:  Chris Goddard — Founder & President, CGPR

Getting media attention is about more than having a good story. It’s about knowing what a journalist actually needs, understanding what makes a pitch worth opening, and building relationships long before you need coverage. This candid, practical session covers what really works, what gets ignored, and how brands can become trusted sources for the media. We’ll unpack the anatomy of a strong pitch, when to email, how to follow up without becoming a nuisance, and how to turn one successful story into a long-term media relationship. Expect real examples, honest advice, and actionable takeaways you can put to work immediately.

Friday, August 21

10:00 AM — Turning Gen Z Insights into Action

Presented by:  Jacqui Scarlett — Outdoor Industry MBA Candidate ’27, Western Colorado University & Meghan LaHatte — Assistant Director of Marketing, Western Colorado University

Move from research to practical application. In this interactive discussion, participants explore how Gen Z insights can improve marketing, customer experience, and brand engagement. Leave with simple, actionable ideas to better connect with the next generation of outdoor consumers.

11:00 AM — Building the Next Generation Workforce · Area I
Presented by: Sasha Clonts — Founder, Guide Theory; Outdoor Industry MBA Alumni ’25 & Mike Evans — Community Coordinator & Administrative Lead, Outdoor Industry MBA, Western Colorado University

Explore what Gen Z is looking for in today’s workplace and what it means for recruiting, leadership, and retention. Through facilitated discussion, participants identify practical strategies to attract, engage, and support the next generation of outdoor industry professionals.

11:00 AM — LGBTQ in the Outdoors
Presented by:  Leander Lacy — Founder & CEO, Lacy Consulting Services · Area II

Move from good intentions to genuine welcome. In this casual round-table conversation, participants share experiences and explore what belonging looks like for LGBTQ+ people on trails, on the water, and in the organizations that steward outdoor spaces. Leave with practical ideas to make your programs, places, and teams more welcoming to LGBTQ+ communities — and how to make sure you are safe in these spaces as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

12:00 PM — Bigger Bodies in the Outdoors
Presented by: Leander Lacy — Founder & CEO, Lacy Consulting Services

Move beyond one-size-fits-all thinking. In this casual round-table conversation, participants share experiences and explore what it means to recreate in a bigger body — from gear and apparel limits to trail culture, imagery, and the quiet assumptions about who “looks outdoorsy.” Leave with practical ideas to make your gear, programs, and marketing genuinely welcoming to people of every size — and how to feel comfortable outdoors in a bigger body.

1:00 PM — The AI-Powered Back Office: Notes from the Field
Presented by: Sunny Stroeer, Founder & CEO, AWExpeditions; Co-Owner, Dreamland Safari Tours

What happens when a small outdoor operator goes all-in on AI infrastructure? Less drudgery, better reporting, whole workdays reclaimed — and a few expensive lessons along the way. This round-table starts with a candid look at one operator’s working AI stack, then opens up: what’s running in your business, what you don’t trust yet, and where the pitfalls hide. Bring your skepticism and one task you’d love to never do again. Leave knowing what’s realistic, what’s hype, and where to start.

2:00 PM — Session To Be Announced Rapid Media / Paddling Magazine