Inaugural Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards Announces Call for Entries
Submission period opens Monday, September 10; Winners announced during ceremony at Outdoor Retailer Winter Market
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO—(September 6, 2018)—Outdoor Retailer, the largest U.S. tradeshow and premier business event for the outdoor industry, will recognize innovation and achievements in the outdoor industry with the debut of the Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards. Showcasing the cutting-edge products and brands pushing the limits in outdoor gear, retail services and materials technology, winners will be determined by a panel of judges and celebrated at a live awards show. The inaugural awards ceremony will take place on the first night of this year’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
The submission period for products and services eligible for entry opens Monday, Sept. 10 and runs through Oct. 10, 2018. Rules and the entry form can be found online at outdoorretailer.com/innovationawards.
“We’re excited to unveil the Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards at Winter Market,” said Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer vice president and show director. “Innovation remains a centerpiece in our industry. We are all searching for lighter, faster, stronger and technically superior. We’re seeking ways to streamline and customize our business. Now, as we get set to open the winter season at the November show, we will have an opportunity to acknowledge the products, brands and people at the forefront and making an impact that will extend beyond our industry.”
Winning products and retail services will be revealed on stage at a live awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. The Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards ceremony will be held in the Mile High Ballroom at the Colorado Convention Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony is open to registered attendees and media.
A panel of luminaries, designers, retailers and media will evaluate entries based on a variety of factors, including concept, design, functionality, originality, sustainability and impact. These judges will select winners from a pool of finalists, which will be on display on the show floor throughout Winter Market. In addition to a foundation of judges named by Outdoor Retailer, individuals interested in serving as a judge for the Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards are invited to submit an online application, available at outdoorretailer.com/innovationawards. The judge application period is open Sept. 10-Oct. 10, 2018.
Outdoor industry and event veteran Liz Ferrin is working with Outdoor Retailer once again and producing the awards. Ferrin has also facilitated the production of Outdoor Retailer’s Inspiration Awards and Sundance Film Festival activation, among other programs.
For information on sponsorship opportunities around The Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards, contact Krista Dill, director of sales, at [email protected] or an Outdoor Retailer account executive.
Outdoor Retailer Winter Market will launch the winter outdoor season as the tradeshow begins the new cycle in November. The four-day show runs Nov. 8-11, 2018 and will span nearly half a million square feet at the Colorado Convention Center. It will be co-located with the Grassroots Connect show. Registration and housing are open.
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About Outdoor Retailer
Outdoor Retailer brings together retailers, manufacturers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of outdoor recreation through trade shows, Outdoor Retailer Magazine, product demo events, media events and web-based business solutions. The Outdoor Retailer trade shows are the premier outdoor industry events for North America, providing platforms for critical face-to-face business initiatives, line previews, innovations, launches, networking and retailer education. Visit outdoorretailer.com for more information.
Outdoor Retailer is owned by Emerald Expositions, a leading operator of business-to-business trade shows in the United States. The company currently operates more than 55 trade shows, as well as numerous other face-to-face events. In 2017, Emerald’s events connected over 500,000 global attendees and exhibitors and occupied more than 6.9 million NSF of exhibition space.
Media Contact
Lisa Ramsperger, Outdoor Retailer
[email protected]
(949) 225-3329