Outdoor Retailer announced the show will be in Minneapolis, Minn., from Aug. 19 to 21, 2026, and industry stakeholders will now lead the planning of the event.
Dubbed the Leadership Village, athlete and Summit Scholarship founder Sunny Stroeer, who moderated several discussions at Industry Day at OR last year, and industry veteran and climber Paul Gagner will co-lead the group. They’ll be joined by:
- Dana Caraway, founder and principal of Caraway & Co, an independent sales agency.
- Sasha DiGiulian, champion climber and global outdoor adventure advocate.
- Peter Sachs, outdoor industry veteran and former GM of LOWA Boots.
- Mike Massey, founder of Locally, a leading commerce platform bridging shoppers and nearby retailers.
Additional members of the Leadership Village will be announced later this year.
“The overarching vision is engagement and participation,” Stroeer said in an interview with SESO. “And that, to me, is a two-way street. It’s engagement from the Leadership Village toward the outdoor industry, and engagement from the broader outdoor industry with us in return. We have to make sure that we have a really solid, robust and open dialogue with the industry, and that Outdoor Retailer is the place where the industry comes together and connects.”
Lindsay Hubley, senior vice president of the Sports and Outdoor Division at OR parent company Emerald, said after discussions with key brands, retailers and industry organizations following the June show, it was clear there is a need for a national meeting place.
“There is an overwhelming response to the need to gather,” Hubley said. “There are some differing thoughts around what that needs to include, but the common theme that we heard — not only with our Leadership Village participants, but also with the brands and the organizations that we discussed this with — was a focus on discovery and innovation.”
In addition to discovering new products and brands, engaging educational opportunities and thought leadership are also in high demand, she said.
Outdoor Retailer Moving to Minnesota
Minnesota’s outdoor recreation economy is thriving, said show organizers, contributing $13.5 billion to the state in 2023, accounting for 2.8% of its GDP and supporting 140,000 direct jobs in the state.
“Moving Outdoor Retailer to Minnesota creates a fresh stage for collaboration, creativity and the outdoor community to thrive together,” said Randolph Briley, director of Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership, in a statement. “This step underscores the strength of our outdoor economy, driving billions in impact, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and inspiring people to get outside.”
The state’s outdoor recreation participation rate stands at 70%, with Minnesota residents particularly active in fishing and cruising activities compared to national averages, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. This engagement translates to $16.7 billion in annual consumer spending within the state’s outdoor economy.
Lloyd Vogel, CEO of St. Paul, Minn.-based Garage Grown Gear and executive director of the Minnesota State Outdoor Business Alliance, said the show’s new location will provide a great place for independent retailers to connect with the broader industry.
“Independent retailers are the front line of the outdoor industry, connecting communities with the products and experiences that get people outside,” Vogel said. “Having Outdoor Retailer in Minneapolis provides a vital platform for retailers and brands to collaborate, share ideas, and shape the future of outdoor recreation.”
Innovation and Education at Outdoor Retailer
The three-day event will feature several new initiatives and revive others from past shows, all designed to serve different segments of the outdoor community, organizers said.
- The Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Scholarship will provide travel funding for specialty retailers to attend the event, and will be offered in addition to the traditional hosted buyer program.
- Ascent will function as an innovation district for emerging brands, Outdoor Lab will highlight product design and the Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards will return to the show in a new format.
- Camp Forward will showcase startup pitches and keynotes about the future of the industry and Campfire will focus on storytelling and video content.
- Industry Day will return as a full-day conference with discussions about AI, ecommerce, sustainability, and supply chain strategy.
- There will be complimentary exhibit space for leading Minnesota-based and mission-driven non-profits.
Stroeer said Outdoor Retailer’s planning is not just for next year, but for decades to come.
“When I think about the outdoor industry and Outdoor Retailer, I think not just about next year or the next five years — I think about the next 20, 30 years,” she said. “Being able to plug in with a platform that is as powerful as Outdoor Retailer is not just to get a glimpse at those trends, but try to get ahead of them and make that type of thinking and work available to everybody in the outdoor industry.”
Kate Robertson can be reached at kate@shop-eat-surf-outdoor.com.
