Paddlesports Retailer, the official national trade show of the paddlesports industry, will remain in Oklahoma City, OK, for at least the next two years. The show will take place from August 26th through August 29th in 2019. In 2020 the event will occur August 31st through September 3rd.
Demo Day will kick off the 2019 show on Monday, August 26, followed by two-and-a-half exhibition days in the Cox Convention Center Exhibit Hall. Exhibitor registration opens soon and retailer registration will open in January 2019. The 2019 show schedule with updated educational programming, networking events and social gatherings will be announced in the coming months.
“Our first year in Oklahoma City was amazing. Both exhibitors and retailers told us the Demo Day at Riversport Adventure Park was the most successful demo in the industry’s history. In post-show surveys and interviews, attendees raved about the convenience of the hotels and restaurants in Oklahoma City and said the community welcomed everyone with enthusiasm. We’re proud to be back for two more years.” said Paddlesports Retailer general manager Charles Conner.
Representing paddlesports manufacturers, Bill Kueper, vice president of Wenonah Canoe concurred: “The OKC location and the packed event schedule really delivered. 94% of attending retailers indicated they plan to return for the 2019 show. That’s phenomenal. Paddlesports Retailer has established itself over the past two years and shows great potential going into 2019.”
The show’s second year–and first in Oklahoma City–drew more than 500 buyers representing over 230 individual retail stores. Show organizers expect attendance to grow in the coming years as momentum builds and attendees spread the word about the demo site, OKC’s convenient accommodations and restaurants, and the collection of paddlesports-specific exhibitors.
