Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2016 (August 2-6) is less than a week away. And while your schedule is undoubtedly filling up, we’re here to suggest a few breaks in the line presentations to experience the best the show has to offer.

Day 0 – Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016

  • Open Air Demo
    8a.m.-4p.m., Cemetery Point Marina, Pineview Reservoir, Huntsville, UT
    Rise and shine. Start your morning early testing next year’s gear in person, on the trail and in the water. It’s the one day of the show you actually get to spend outside and with a projected temperature between 68 and 97 degrees, we give you permission to soak up the sun.
  • RISE: Retail Inspired Specialty Excellence
    2-6p.m., Gallivan Center, Downtown Salt Lake City
    Outdoor Retailer, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance and Outdoor Industry Association teamed up to bring retailers this exclusive event developed for and by specialty outdoor retailers. RISE provides an inspiring afternoon of education and collaborative peer-to-peer working sessions. Retailers will leave with insight and resources they can put into action to improve their business and bottom line as soon as they get back to the store. RISE attendance is restricted to specialty retailers and there is no cost to attend.
  • Outsiders Ball
    6-11 p.m., Gallivan Center, Downtown Salt Lake City
    If you care about the future of the outdoor industry and getting more youth outdoors (a no-brainer), then the Outsiders Ball is where to be on Tuesday night. The annual event put on by The Outdoor Foundation features a mix of work and play, friends and peers, auctions and art. With tasty local bites, libations and music setting the tone, the party defines who we are as an industry and lifestyle, how we connect with nature and how we can share that connection with a new generation. Tickets are available at outsidersball.org.

Day 1 – Wednesday, August 3, 2016

  • OIA Breakfast – Making Big Scale Change: How Small Shifts Can Make Big Impacts
    7-9a.m., Downtown Marriott City Creek
    Outdoor Industry Association invites you to hear about the big scale changes needed to propel the industry into the future. OIA Executive Director Amy Roberts will tell the story of OIA’s efforts to grow our industry’s influence through deep work in sustainability, recreation policy and outdoor participation. Speakers include Rue Mapp, Owner of Outdoor Afro; Ryan Welch of B The Change Media and Luis Benitez, Director of Colorado’s Office of Outdoor Recreation. Coffee will be flowing, but bring your own travel mug. No paper to-go cups provided!
  • Let’s Get People Outside! Public Lands and Access Conversation
    9-10:15a.m., Downtown Marriott City Creek
    The Outdoor Access Working Group (OAWG) represents stakeholders in the outdoor industry working together to improve access for organized group outings. Jessica Wahl, Government Affairs Manager at OIA with guest panelists Christy Goldfuss, Managing Director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality; Meryl Harrell, Chief of Staff for the Under Secretary at the Department of Agriculture; Leslie Weldon, Deputy Chief of the United States Forest Service; Dan Nordstrom, President & CEO of Outdoor Research and Rebecca Bear, Director of REI Outdoor Programs, will explore ways the permitting process has been improved over the past few years and how public stakeholders can help support/implement and encourage more improvements.
  • Stain Management and Durable Water Repellent (DWR) Finishes – What are your options?
    10-11a.m., Trend + Design Center (#155-415)
    Evidence that DWR finishes are harming the environment has outdoor brands scrambling to find new solutions that can equal or outperform the old stuff. Find out what’s new and how the evolution to preferred chemistry lists curated by third-party assessments is accelerating.
  • Making It In America
    Noon-1p.m., Downtown Marriott City Creek
    Made in the USA is still a hot trend. Join members of the OIA Made in America Working Group to learn about the work that is being done to build successful business in the United States, the benefits of reshoring, supply chain impacts and what companies can do to successfully grow their companies stateside.
  • Where Does Your Wool Come From?
    3-4pm, Downtown Marriott City Creek
    The recent convergence of the industry behind the Responsible Wool Standard has brought the supply chain together to help provide credibility to businesses that respect animal welfare and the protection of land health. Textile Exchange hosts a deeper look into the wool supply chain, from the farm to the mill to the shelf.
  • International Buyer Program Happy Hour
    4:30-6p.m., International Buyer Program International Trade Center in the South Lobby of the Salt Palace
    Looking to sell your American products overseas? Then this is the happy hour to hit on Wednesday. Join the U.S. Commercial Service (USCS) of the Department of Commerce, the official trade promotion agency of the federal government. For the second year, the organization is helping bring foreign delegations of retail buyers to Outdoor Retailer to support business matchmaking on the show floor. Meet the international delegates and country specialists.
  • Meet Adidas Outdoor Celebrity Climbers & Gear Giveaway
    10-11a.m., #1049
    Every year we get a little star-struck at this event, as some of the greatest men and women climbers in the world pen their signatures on epic shots. Yes, we’re just as much fangirls and boys as the consumers (if not more). This year Big Wall climbers Timmy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson will sign $2 posters, with proceeds benefitting the American Alpine Journal. Also enter Adidas’ #WhyWeClimb social media contest to score an Adidas Dawn Wall Jacket.
  • Granite Gear No Trash Bash
    4:30p.m., #36135
    Granite Gear epic hikers, the Packing It Out team, bring stories from their summer PCT adventure where the misfits picked up every piece of trash they saw along the trail. The trio was at OR last year sharing photos and stories of their 2,000 -mile Appalachian Trail mission where they carried out 1,000-plus lbs of trash. Crack open a beer with these outdoor heroes and potentially win a new Crown 2 pack.
  • Astral Cheers to the Nature!
    4:30-6p.m., #39104
    In true Astral style, the theme of their happy hour isn’t fluffy, overcomplicated or bombastic. They simply want to gather friends and toast to nature— the heart of what brings us to Summer OR. Photo booth, party favors and beer keep the mood celebratory. This is the party to attend if you’re a little too tired for loud giveaways and frou-frou cocktails.

Day 2 – Thursday, August 3, 2016

  • The Conservation Alliance Breakfast – The Wild Edge: Freedom to Roam the Pacific Coast 
    7-9a.m., Downtown Marriott City Creek
    Arrive tired, leave inspired. Florian Schulz is a conservation photographer and advocate for the preservation of wild habitat. He immerses himself in an environment for several weeks at a time, studying wildlife behavior and interaction. His multi-media presentation weaves stories and images from his new book, The Wild Edge, covering the Pacific Coast of North America, from Baja peninsula through the coves and breaks of California and the bays and inlets of the Pacific Northwest, to the deep forests of British Columbia and the icy realm of polar bears in the Beaufort Sea of Alaska.
  • Outdoor Anonymous: Outdoor’s 12-Step Program to Beat Retail Disruption
    9:30-10:30am, Downtown Marriott City Creek
    SGB and SSI Data‘s own Neil Schwartz participates on this panel, looking at the monumental changes in the retail landscape along with changing consumer habits and general consumer economic concerns. This is the fodder that will epically change the future of our industry… so yes, we recommend clearing space for the talk.
  • Active Generation X – The Definitive Research Study
    2:30-3:30pm, Downtown Marriott City Creek
    Here’s an event that made us stop and think. With all the focus on millennials, what about Gen X? The group is at their highest income levels in years and are responsible for multi-person households, points out Sara Meaney with BVK, the research group that will lead the session by sharing information from the study and how outdoor brands can respond.
  • Farm to Feet North Carolina BBQ and Sunshine Cocktail Hour
    4:30-6p.m., #BR621
    Farm to Feet is bringing its down-home roots westward. Partnering with Visit North Carolina (who’s flying in barbecue a la south) and Sunshine Beverages (mixing signature Ocracoke Sunrise and Clingman’s Sunset cocktails), it’s the perfect storm of drinks and fixin’s to close out Thursday’s meetings. For those who prefer beer with their BBQ, Farm to Feet will be serving Sierra Nevada. Get your hands on the new Mountains-to-Sea Trail sock collection amid the noshing and start mapping your next thru-hike with Visit NC.
  • Popticals National Parks in a Wooden Boat: Happy Hour with Greg Hatten
    4:30-6:30p.m., #BR840
    There are a couple darn good reasons to drink and mingle with the Popticals gang. 1) Honoring 100 years of the National Parks Service. 2) Wooden drift boat guide and avid fly fisher Greg Hatten. 3) Films from Hatten’s National Parks Tour. 4) Prizes from Patagonia, Pendleton, Mountain Khakis, Thermarest, Sawyer and others. 5) Stainless steel pint glasses with free refills, and all the proceeds go to the National Park Service.
  • Granite Gear Polar Knowledge
    4:30p.m., #36135
    It’s Jeopardy for outdoorists! Test your polar know-how with Eric Larsen—who writes “expedition guide, dog musher and polar adventurer” on his taxes under job title. If you’re wise enough you could win a new Granite Gear Crown 2. And even if you don’t win, you’ll learn a ton of icy info and enjoy a cool beer in the process.

Day 3 – Friday, August 5, 2016

  • Hangover Breakfast
    9-10a.m., Venture Out
    Yep, this is an official show event. You’ve been to the business breakfasts and industry parties two days in a row. If you are feeling a bit slow that Day 3 morning and still seeking a free meal and a chance to connect, visit the Venture Out section of the show floor for a good cup of coffee and some calories to chase away the prior night’s activities.
  • Demystify Human Resources
    10-10:30a.m., The Camp (Venture Out)
    We know you’d rather shop the show floor than stay on top of HR compliance issues, but we can vouch for HR consultant Lori Kleiman, who will give a quick overview of issues your business needs to be aware of today. The interactive program will highlight five major questions that can cripple your organization if you don’t watch out. What are the hot laws for 2016 that you must to be aware of? How do you know if you’re paying people properly? What are three tips so that you can recruit the right employees? Can technology take some HR admin off your plate? The session will move fast!
  • The Shmooz
    11a.m.-2p.m., Downtown Marriott City Creek
    Looking for a new job in the outdoor industry? Visit this Malakye.com annual event at the show to meet brands looking for employees and participate in career and job search workshops.

Day 4 – Friday, August 5, 2016

We’ll be honest, there’s not much on the calendar for Day 4, as the show winds down to a murmur. It’s definitely the quietest day of Outdoor Retailer, but ironically, it’s the best day to have some great conversations and get some business done in the booth!