The first combined trade show for Outdoor Retailer and the Snow Show got off to a crowded, busy and energetic start Thursday in Denver.
Outdoor Retailer parent company Emerald Expositions bought the Snow Show from SIA last year for $16 million.
The show filled the main floor of the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver and expanded off the main floor to lower levels and annexes.
Several snow executives commented to us about the improved vibe and energy level of the show and were hopeful that the combined show made it easier for retailers to visit a wide range of brands in one place.
Some brands changed up their booths knowing that they would be exposed to a new set of buyers.
Volcom, for instance, opened up its booth and told more product and snow innovation stories on the exterior.
They still kept the Volcom rebel vibe by having Guttermouth perform a loud and rowdy set at the end of the day, which definitely seemed to surprise some in the OR world.
We heard from lots of snow brands that have been experiencing robust growth, including Nidecker, Capita, Union, Volcom, and Roxy, which contributed to a more upbeat mood in the air.
One brand that stood out for how busy they were was Roxy, which was slammed most of the day. We even heard from competitors about how strong the Roxy product is these days.
On the Outdoor side of the show, Patagonia was absolutely mobbed with a long line of buyers waiting to check in for appointments.
We have lots of photos above in our slide of who we saw Thursday on the show floor.
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