The Running Event (TRE), North America’s premier run and outdoor specialty retail conference and trade show, announced that its Nov. 19-21 event included 336 brands spanning over 90,000 square feet, showcasing the latest innovations in footwear, apparel, nutrition, recovery and technology. This included 111 first-time exhibitors.
“This year’s event is truly remarkable—not only in its size but in the incredible energy of this community,” said Christina Henderson, event director, TRE. “Year after year, I’m astonished by the innovation, passion, and collaboration that TRE fosters. It’s a reminder of the importance of in-person gatherings and the magic that happens when people come together.”
The event opened with TRE’s conference program, which included 28 education sessions covering topics such as creative customer loyalty, empowering female runners, the role of AI in specialty retail and strategies for navigating the industry’s future. The Race Director Summit offered endurance event professionals peer networking and education, while the Pedorthic Footcare Association celebrated its 50th Annual Symposium with specialized programming.
Keynote Speaker Johnny Cupcakes held his presentation “A Creative Recharge in Building Customer Loyalty & Memorable Retail Experiences,” and a panel featuring leaders from HOKA, Brooks, Saucony, and Altra discussed the future of run specialty to a standing-room-only audience.
Switchback at TRE, the event’s outdoor-focused expansion – now in its third year – featured 45 outdoor brands and reflects the industry’s growing demand for trail and outdoor products. Switchback at TRE also serves as a preview to the inaugural standalone Switchback event, taking place Jun. 16-18 in Nashville.
Community-driven events also took center stage, beginning with the third annual Trail Cleanup, presented by ASICS, which welcomed more than 250 participants and resulted in 600 pounds of trash collected. The day concluded with a Welcome Reception hosted by HOKA, which kicked off the 2024 event and brought together hundreds of retailers, brands, media and TRE partner organizations.
There was also additional education programming in the exhibit hall, the annual Indie 5K and the 2024 Industry Awards Dinner.
