Outdoor Retailer Will Return to an In-Person Event This Summer, Shifts Show to August

After having to go virtual with multiple events due to COVID-19, Outdoor Retailer will return to an in-person event this summer — although it will take place two months later than usual.

Outdoor Retailer SVP and show director Marisa Nicholson confirmed in an email note today that the Outdoor Retailer Summer 2021 show will return from Aug. 10 to Aug. 12 to the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

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In the note, Nicholson said pushing back the event — which was originally slated to take place in June — will offer the time to put on a safe in-person event, as well as allow for exhibitors and attendees ample time to plan to participate and provide “greater peace-of-mind in the opportunity to gather and do business together.”

Also, Nicholson offered a look at the event’s current guidelines, which are available via Outdoorretailer.com.

“We remain committed to ensuring the health, safety and well-being of each member of our community, our internal team and everyone involved with the show,” Nicholson said in a statement. “We have been working closely with Visit Denver, the Colorado Convention Center and hotel partners to implement the highest safety protocols and measures recommended by health officials and government agencies, and we are available to address any questions or concerns you may have.”

Nicholson continued, “We’ve heard from many of you who are eager to reunite and ready to get back to the productive work you find at the in-person show. We’re anxious to see you too. When we reconvene in Denver this August, expect to see extra precautions we are taking beyond those mandated by government authorities, and face masks will be required of all persons entering the building, without exception.”

Additionally, Nicholson said opportunities will be available for those unable to attend in person, including education sessions that are planned throughout the summer and webinar-style programming that’s developed in partnership with the Outdoor Industry Association. Also, there will be more digital opportunities offered via Elastic Suite that will allow retailers to connect with brands in order to find new products for their store.

“During this past year we’ve all changed — how we live, the way we work, where we spend our time. One of the highlights has been the dramatic boom in outdoor participation. Now, we have a chance to embrace the new consumers and welcome all into our incredible community,” Nicholson said via statement. “They become lifelong outdoorists when we collectively nurture the new pursuits and ensure accessible adventures. We do that as a united industry and through the relationships we build.”

As the industry begins to come back together in person, the Atlanta Shoe Market wrapped up its February event yesterday, and the reviews from exhibitors were largely positive in regard to the success of the trade show and the health measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

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