Outdoor Retailer Releases Education and Events Lineup for Winter Market

Capital One Spark Business announced as presenting sponsor of Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, California—(October 19, 2018)—Outdoor Retailer, the largest U.S. tradeshow and premier business event for the outdoor industry, today announced the lineup of events, education sessions and new experiences for Outdoor Retailer Winter Market. The show kicks off the new show cycle and features the inaugural Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards, key industry events and a full slate of experts to share their knowledge over four days. Winter Market opens on Thursday, November 8 and runs through Sunday, November 11 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

“Outdoor Retailer Winter Market will truly be a place to learn, discover and be inspired,” said Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer vice president and show director. “We are pleased to have Capital One Spark Business as presenting sponsor of the Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards as we celebrate innovation throughout the show. And, with a robust education schedule, a dynamic group of experts to hear from, and exciting new events, we are looking forward to our days in Denver.”

The Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards inaugural event will set the stage on the first night. Capital One Spark Business is presenting sponsor of the awards, which will showcase design, innovation and achievement in the outdoor industry. Winning products and retail services will be revealed on stage at a live awards ceremony on Thursday, November 8 in the Mile High Ballroom at the Colorado Convention Center. A+E Networks® will develop short-form programming around the awards to air as part of the Outdoors block on FYI™ and HISTORY® networks.

Education programs, events, panel discussions, coffee chats and happy hours offer opportunities to learn and network throughout the show. Sessions cover a wide array of subjects, including business development, marketing strategy, sustainability, leadership, diversity, design and textile innovation, and social responsibility. Among the show highlights:

• The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) Industry Breakfast opens Outdoor Retailer Winter Market with a bird’s-eye view of consumer sentiment, featuring a keynote presentation from Leslie Ghize of the TOBE Report on the current retail landscape. Ghize will give insight into the future of the outdoor retail industry with an exploration of applicable inventive concepts and clever customer engagement. The breakfast will take place on Day 1, Thursday, November 8, at 7 a.m. in the Mile High Ballroom at the Colorado Convention Center.
• Fresh content in a redesigned Trend + Design Center is aimed to inspire. With a robust sourcing and textile component on the show floor, the design community will gather at Winter Market and have the opportunity to learn from trend forecasters and experts, including OIA Industry Breakfast speaker Ghize and team.
• A climbing hub, the High Altitude Den features events and focused education curated by the American Alpine Club. Daily TRENDS in Climbing sessions cover innovations in climbing gear, and the Afternoon Buzz is a time to discuss ideas and see new products from climbing brands. Attendees can also get their Universal Belay Certification and test gear on the freestanding climbing boulder.
• Daily sessions in The Camp cover digital trends, inclusivity and leadership, along with panels tailored for retailers. The Range will also be leading daily programs, and happy hours will cap off each day.
• OIA’s Outdoor University session topics include a recap of the 2018 midterm elections; how social movements, change and innovation take hold and succeed; just what the state offices of outdoor recreation provide; and sustainable business innovation. The sessions run throughout the week.
• New retailer programs provide opportunities to get a fresh perspective on shopping the show floor and discovering new products and brands. The Retail Buyer Buddy Program connects retailers with each other to navigate the show together, and Shop the Floor with an Outdoor Industry Vet links retailers with Outdoor Retailer veterans.
• Social media activations at Venture Out will allow attendees to engage with local artists. The Outdoor Retailer digital channels will also be celebrating innovation and sharing the stories of attendees, brands and enthusiasts to hear how innovative products transformed their outdoor experience. Fans and followers can tag @OutdoorRetailer and use the hashtag #weareINNOVATORS to tell their story.
• Food trucks return for Winter Market and will be on the show floor. Coffee stations will also anchor the education areas – Generous Coffee at Venture Out and Goodhart Coffee in The Camp.

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market will launch the winter outdoor season as the tradeshow begins the new cycle. It will be co-located with the Grassroots Connect show. Registration and housing are open.

Winter Market is the third of three shows hosted by Outdoor Retailer this year in Denver. In January, the Outdoor Retailer Snow Show was the first event in Denver, and the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market took place in July. The next Snow Show will be held January 30-February 1, 2019, back at the Colorado Convention Center.

###

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