Grassroots Connect, the twice-annual retail buying show of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, will move its June gathering to Reno, Nev. beginning in 2024.
The change for the spring venue was announced during the membership meeting ahead of the Grassroots Connect Show through Sunday at the Knoxville Convention Center. Since moving the show to Knoxville in 2013, the attendee base has grown from 37 brands and 44 retailers to 212 brands and 143 retailers.
While Grassroots praised the venue for its friendly and professional support throughout the last decade, the group also cited the need for additional space as the primary reason for the move.
“Reno blew us away with the quality of their convention center space, which has an ideal size and configuration for the needs of Grassroots Connect,” said Gabe Maier, president of Grassroots Outdoor Alliance. “We certainly also appreciate the nearby outdoor access and outdoor community that our show attendees will be able to enjoy.”
The selection of Reno brings Grassroots Connect back to a region with historic ties to the outdoor industry, including its role as host for the first-ever Grassroots Connect – which was held in 1998 in Lake Tahoe, Calif.
The Reno Sparks Convention Center boasts more than 600,000 sq ft of space and more than 374,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, as well as a $10 million renovation which was completed in 2019.
Reno also is a popular outdoor destination with easy access to world-class hiking, bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, camping and paddling. The area provides a contrast of high adrenaline activities as well as areas of remote solitude, including the Truckee River which flows through the city’s downtown.
The updated calendar for the next two Grassroots Connect shows now includes Kansas City, Mo. (Nov. 6-9); and Reno, Nev. (June 10-13, 2024).
For more information on Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, go to www.grassrootsoutdoors.com. For more information, visit https://connect.grassrootsoutdoors.com.
