Outdoor Retailer wrapped up its Minneapolis debut with more than 1,800 attendees, 275-plus brands and 150-plus media and creators from 45 states and 20 countries. The event marked a reset for the outdoor industry, said show organizers, reinforcing Outdoor Retailer’s role in the industry.
The three-day show also surpassed its goal of 400 qualified retailers, established when Outdoor Retailer announced its new direction in October 2025. Through more than 850 onsite connections, creators engaged with new and emerging brands while reaching a combined audience of 21.2 million outdoor consumers, said OR.
“Moving a legacy event to a new city while navigating significant change is no small undertaking,” said Matthew Mathiasen, group show director, Outdoor Retailer. “It takes trust, patience, curiosity and a willingness to believe in what’s possible. Our buyers, exhibitors, partners, brands, retailers, media and friends across the industry brought all of that to Minneapolis. Most importantly, they reminded us why this industry comes together: to discover what’s next, champion great ideas, make connections and move the outdoor industry forward, together.”
Day one drew more than 600 founders, retailers and industry professionals to a full slate of programming, anchored by the new Retailer Playbook Lab workshop series and an Industry Day featuring keynotes from Eoin Comerford (principal, Outsize Consulting and former CEO of Moosejaw), Neil Fiske (brand president, Black Diamond Equipment), and author and endurance athlete Mirna Valerio.
Specialty and regional retailers from six continents attended, supported in part by Outdoor Retailer’s Specialty Scholarship and Hosted Buyer Program.
Founder-led brands were a significant presence at the show, with more than 150 brands represented through the Ascent Program, Garage Grown Gear, Founded Outdoors and REI Path Ahead Ventures. Garage Grown Gear and Founded Outdoors also debuted the inaugural Ascent Summit, bringing together 75 up-and-coming founders for workshops and peer-led sessions focused on scaling, retail distribution and brand growth.
“Footprints and quantity of people don’t explain that there is a heartbeat in the show that hasn’t been here for at least seven years,” said Roberto Gutierrez, director of brand marketing for Backcountry. “Outdoor Retailer focusing on the emerging brands makes a ton of sense. I love the fact that it’s more of a discovery engine as it once was.”
Minneapolis and Minnesota welcomed the show with a civic reception led by Mayor Jacob Frey, who opened the event with a ceremonial ribbon cutting alongside the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, one of Minnesota’s sovereign tribal nations and longtime stewards of the land. The Mille Lacs Honor Guard completed the ceremony.
“Outdoor Retailer got three days to prove whether a year of hard conversations and decisions mattered,” said Lindsay Hubley, senior vice president, Sports and Outdoor Division. “Rebuilding the show meant asking the industry to believe again, one courageous yes at a time.”
