Outdoor Retailer said that starting November 2023, the OR Snow Show will shift from early January to November and be rebranded as Outdoor Retailer Winter.
Outdoor Retailer, operated by Emerald Expositions, will also launch The Summit by Outdoor Retailer, a multi-day leadership conference, that will align with Winter Sports Market, the specialty buying group trade show produced by Snowsports Merchandising Corporation (SMC) and Sports Specialists Ltd. (SSL). The show will first take place in January 2024.
OR Summer Market will remain in June and kick off the spring/summer sales cycle.
For the next five years, 2023-2027, OR events will be held in Salt Lake City and County, starting with the Snow Show, January 10-12, 2023, at the Salt Palace Convention Center.
“We’re evolving the Outdoor Retailer format and creating new, unique ways for brands to engage around their business needs and goals,” said Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer senior vice president and show director. “These changes are based on feedback we’ve received from brands, retailers, reps, and suppliers, all working on earlier product deadlines. So, we’re transforming to make sure we’re providing the most relevant platform to showcase product and do business. Outdoor Retailer Winter and Summer are now both at the beginning of the respective sales seasons and in position to support the greater buy/sell ecosystem.
“In addition, a new event, The Summit by Outdoor Retailer, will deliver elevated education and conversation. Through a renewed partnership with SMC and SSL, The Summit now aligns with the Winter Sports Market to establish a more efficient industry calendar and new avenues for customer engagement,” continued Nicholson. “We’re excited to be expanding upon our cornerstone events, to move into the time frames the industry needs and to provide more meaningful opportunities for the community to connect.”
The OR Winter show’s shift into November is expected to support the outdoor marketplace’s buying and selling cycle better for the fall/winter sales season and earlier deadlines.
“Winter Sports Market (WSM) is excited to be partnering with Outdoor Retailer to create the best possible winter buying experience for the snow industry,” said both Gary Fleming, president of SMC, and Tyler Lockard, president, SSL. “Our winter show has been a great success and we will continue to operate it in Salt Lake City in January. We are excited that Outdoor Retailer will be putting on an early November show and our groups support this fully. This addresses the buying timelines for apparel and will allow our buyers to be in one place at the right time.”
The Summit by Outdoor Retailer debuts January 2023 with an enhanced demo that includes guided snow sports activities and gear testing at Brighton Resort in Utah.
Starting in 2024, The Summit will expand into a multi-day leadership conference, to be held annually, in Salt Lake City with keynote speakers, educational programming, workshops, strategy sessions, advocacy, networking, and avenues for direct consumer engagement. The on-mountain winter experience will remain part of the event.
“We are equally excited to support The Summit and the on-mountain experience that Outdoor Retailer will put on prior to WSM,” added Fleming and Lockard. “This will be one of the only opportunities to try product before the order deadlines, and Salt Lake is a great place for it all to happen.”
Photo courtesy Visit Utah
