Here are a few highlights of key sessions and events from the Outdoor Retailer Summer show, which starts Monday.
Key Outdoor Retailer Events
The B2B trade show OR Summer kicks off on Monday with an industry breakfast hosted by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). The 7:30 a.m. breakfast at the Hyatt Regency’s Salt Lake Ballroom will feature a talk from triple crown thru-hiker and community advocate Will Akuna Robinson.
Robinson was the first Black man to complete America’s Triple Crown of Hiking in 2019, an almost 8,000-mile journey he began on the Pacific Coast trail in 2016, followed by the Appalachian trail in 2018, and ending on the Continental Divide trail.
Following that, Kelly Davis, director of research for OIA, will give a snapshot of outdoor recreation participation trends at 9:30 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency’s Salt Lake Ballroom. Her talk will include how many Americans are participating in outdoor recreation and how often, what categories are growing fastest, and what activities are most popular.
In the afternoon, Outdoor Retailer’s gear guru Cameron Martindell highlights the newest and most innovative gear in the outdoor industry. At this ever-popular session, he’ll show off the newest products that are available now and in upcoming seasons. That session is at 1:30 p.m. at The Camp on the show floor.
That evening, both industry members and the general public can celebrate OR’s return to Salt Lake City with a Block Party outside of the east entrance of the Salt Palace. The party, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., will include live music, food trucks, a beer garden, outdoor activities, and a massive drone show.
On Tuesday, Julia Day, executive director of business development for consumer behavior research firm Circana, formerly The NPD Group, will start things off at 7:30 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency’s Salt Lake Ballroom with an in-depth update on what’s driving consumers and what they’re spending money on.
Also on Tuesday, The Daily is hosting an Outdoor Executive Roundtable that will explore what’s next for the outdoor industry post-pandemic.
The panel, which features leaders from Topo Designs, Lowa Boots, Solo Brands, Camp Chef, and DPS Skis, will take place at 2:30 p.m. in the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake Ballroom.
The annual Inspiration Awards on Tuesday night at the Hyatt Regency’s Salt Lake Ballroom will also be an opportunity to highlight the businesses and people who are making a positive impact on the industry.
Education sessions will take place on the show floor in both The Camp, located in The Hub, and The Ranger Station, located in Venture Out. Keynote morning and mid-day sessions with OIA will be held in the adjacent Hyatt Regency Salt Lake.
All three show days feature expert-led keynote sessions, panel discussions, and trend presentations, plus daily community events and networking.
See a full listing of events here and a full listing of education sessions here.
OR Show Experience
As far as the show floor experience, OR has taken a new approach to the floor plan in an effort to improve the user experience for retailers and buyers.
The show is categorized by activity to aid retailers as they shop the show, look for new products, and connect with brands.
The floor plan will be arranged by activity-focused zones:
- Camp and Hike
- Climb
- Lifestyle
- Overland and Travel
- Retail Services
- Run and Cycle
- Sourcing
- Water
There will be about 700 brands participating at OR, with about 200 of those new to the show.
Bart Schaneman can be reached at [email protected].
