Key Takeaways:
- Specialty outdoor shops including Alpenglow Sports, Great Outdoor Provision Co., Eastside Sports, Gearhead Outfitters, Clear Water Outdoor, Appalachian Outfitters, Craniologie, Crawdaddy Outdoors, The Trail Head Montana, The Trail House and Westerlind Outdoors are on the registered buyer list as of early June.
- REI, Bespoke Post, Macy’s, Road Runner Sports, and Academy Sports are among the national retailers already registered to attend Outdoor Retailer 2026 in Minneapolis.
- The expo show runs August 20-21 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, with an education day scheduled for Aug. 19.
With Outdoor Retailer 2026 still two months away, the registered retail buyer list is already telling an interesting story about who is making the trip to Minneapolis.
As of early June, hundreds have registered to attend the August 19-21 show at the Minneapolis Convention Center, according to the Outdoor Retailer team. The list spans national chains, big-box players, regional specialty shops, and international buyers across a wide range of categories,
National and Mass Market Retailers Heading to Minneapolis
On the national and mass market side, REI, Academy Sports, Bespoke Post, Runnings, Road Runner Sports, The Sportsman’s Guide, Macy’s, Dunham’s Sports, Athleta, RC Willey, and Play It Again Sports are all on the list. Simon Property Group, one of the largest mall operators in the country, is also registered.
Specialty Outdoor Shops Well Represented on the Buyer List
The specialty outdoor contingent is well represented. Alpenglow Sports, the California-based specialty retailer whose founder Brendan Madigan is also a featured speaker at OR’s Industry Day, appears on the list, as does Great Outdoor Provision Co., Eastside Sports, Gearhead Outfitters, Clear Water Outdoor, Appalachian Outfitters, Mountain Man Outdoor Store, The Trail Head, The Trail House, Lake State Mountaineering, Shawnee Trails, High View Outdoors, Noreast Outdoors, and Fitzharris Ski, Bike and Outdoor, among others.
International Buyers Reflect OR’s Global Reach
International buyers include Cape Union Mart International from South Africa, Outdoor Life Pte Ltd and Royal Sports Shop Ltd., D-Mop Limited, Kenkosya Co. Ltd. from Japan, Jawery SA, and Ships Ltd., reflecting the global reach that has long characterized OR’s buyer base even as the show moves to a new host city.
Outdoor Organizations, Lifestyle Brands, and Specialty Segments Also Registered
Beyond traditional retail, the list includes outdoor recreation organizations, travel operators, and lifestyle brands. Scouting America is registered, as is the University of Minnesota Center for Outdoor Adventure, which adds a meaningful local presence given the show’s Minnesota debut. Specialty segments such as yoga (Spiraledge, Inc. dba Everyday Yoga), stand-up paddle (Nalu Standup Paddle and Surf), cycling (Quality Bicycle Products, Ponderosa Cyclery, The Bike Center), and equestrian (Kerrits Equestrian Apparel) also appear on the list.
Hosted Buyer Program Aims to Drive More Specialty Retail Attendance
The retailer registration count is expected to grow significantly between now and August as the show’s new programming initiatives draw additional buyers. Outdoor Retailer expanded its Hosted Buyer Program for 2026, offering specialty retailers travel subsidies to offset the cost of attending the show in its new Minneapolis location.
What Registered Retailers Will Find at the Show
The expanded Hosted Buyer Program represents one of several structural changes the show has made for the year.
The day before the show on Wednesday, Aug. 19, OR has put together an extensive education program. The day will start with Retail Playbook Lab, a morning series of hands-on workshops for specialty retailers. That will be followed by Industry Day, an afternoon focused on consumer behavior, innovation, technology, and the evolving structure of outdoor commerce.
The expo portion of Outdoor Retailer runs Aug. 20-21.
Wild Reach Creator Initiative Brings New Energy to the Show Floor
For brands on the show floor, the new Wild Reach Initiative, developed in partnership with creator commerce platform Popfly, will bring approximately 150 curated outdoor creators into the show environment across all three days.
The first 24 creators announced collectively reach over 10 million followers across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. Popfly’s tools support real-time creator-brand matchmaking and QR-based tracking, giving exhibitors visibility into which booth interactions are generating engagement, a level of measurement not typically available at trade shows.
For registered retailers, the creator presence adds another dimension to the show floor: brands arriving in Minneapolis will actively pitch, demo, and generate content simultaneously.
57hours Adventure Race Closes Out the Show on August 21
OR is closing out the Minneapolis show with an urban adventure race in partnership with 57hours, the adventure travel and experiences platform. The race takes place August 21 at Theodore Wirth Park, one of Minneapolis’s premier outdoor spaces, and is open to creators, media, retailers, and industry leaders attending the show.
Approximately 150 participants are expected, with the Minnesota Orienteering Club designing the course. The grand prize is a trip to Greenland. The race is a deliberate statement about the kind of show OR is building in Minneapolis — one that extends beyond the convention center and puts attendees into the outdoor environment the industry exists to serve.
“Outdoor Retailer has always been about creating opportunities for discovery, connection, and growth across the outdoor industry,” said Outdoor Retailer Group Show Director Matthew Mathiasen. “We look forward to welcoming everyone to Minneapolis in August.”
