The Best Tradeshows in the Outdoor Industry

The Best Tradeshows to Grow Your Outdoor Brand

 

Searching for the best tradeshows, events, and festivals in the outdoor industry?

Well, with everything that has happened these past few years, it’s more important than ever to get back out there and meet people face to face.  However, you want to spend your marketing dollars wisely.  And industry tradeshows can be expensive!!

Therefore, below are the best tradeshows if you’re seeking B2B, along with those that draw a strong consumer base and allow for onsite sales.  Keep in mind, there are dozens of other specialty shows out there, and we’re updating this list every year!

In addition, we highlighted a few new outdoor industry shows you may not have heard of yet.  And lastly, we’ve included tips for how to make the most of your time at a tradeshow.

 

 

Best Tradeshows and Festivals for Outdoor + Lifestyle Brands:

 

1. Sea Otter Classic:

The Sea Otter Classic hosts over 9,600 athletes, 72,500 fans, and its North America’s largest cycling tradeshow!  Sea Otter is definitely the place to connect with consumers interested in road, BMX, gravel, mountain bikes, cycling gear, and apparel. 

 

2. GoPro Mountain Games:

With 83,000 spectators and over 3,000 athletes, the GoPro Mountain Games in Vail draws over 140 brands to its mountain playground every June for biking, climbing, kayaking, fishing, SUPing, and even a big air comp for dogs!

 

3. Outdoor Retailer (OR Show):

The Outdoor Retailer Shows are the perfect place if you’re seeking B2B connections with the biggest brands in the outdoor industry.  OR hosts both a Summer Market in June and a Winter Show in partnership with the Snowsports Industries of America in January.

In addition, with the move back to Utah in 2023, the OR Show has seen a drop-off in attendance from brands like Patagonia, who are protesting the state’s leaders’ efforts to strip federal protection of public lands.  However, it’s still one of the largest gatherings of outdoor brands in the country.

 

4. CES- Consumer Electronics Show:

If you have room in your marketing budget, the Consumer Electronics Show is the biggest tradeshow in the country and ‘the most influential tech show in the world’.  Consumers, retail buyers and wholesale distributers all descend on Las Vegas in January to see the best of the best in tech.  Just attending the show, or hosting a pop-up shop in Vegas during the show could get your product seen by hundreds of potential new customers.

 

5. Eurobike:

Eurobike is an annual tradeshow held in Friedrichshafen, Germany, usually in the summer or fall.  It brings together renowned cycling brands, industry professionals, and cycling enthusiasts from around the globe.  While the first few days are reserved for industry insiders, the event opens its doors to the public on the weekend, allowing cycling enthusiasts to experience the latest products firsthand.  Attending Eurobike presents an exceptional opportunity to showcase your brand, gain exposure, and build brand awareness within the cycling community, attracting potential customers and industry partners alike.

 

6. Overland Expo:

From the do-it-yourself adventure travel enthusiast to those that live and work from the road, the Overland Expo is the place to connect with your potential customers.  It’s perfect for those selling adventure travel equipment, camping gear, overland vehicles, accessories, and services.

 

7. Ouray Ice Festival:

Every year in January, the small mountain town of Ouray in Colorado is packed with ice climbers for the Ouray Ice Festival.  The festival is small, and therefore a great place to connect with your consumers, yes it’s open to the public!  In addition, the Ouray Ice Festival is also a great event to allow attendees to demo your products!  Brands that produce products for winter sports are most appropriate here.  Ice climbing for certain, plus rock climbing, camping, and hiking.  Or brands in footwear, outerwear, etc. as long as it’s for winter travel!

 

8. ICAST:

The World’s Largest Sportsfishing tradeshow is the place for fishing gear, tackle, accessories, boats, and more and is held each year in Orlando, Florida.  ICAST is definitely in the B2B category.

 

8. Ironman World Championships:

Triathletes from around the world gather on the Big Island of Hawaii each year for a chance to become an Ironman World Champion.  Therefore, if you’re into all things swimming, biking, and running, or selling gear and apparel for these types of consumers, you should be in Kona.

 

9. CABDA Show:

The CABDA Show is the B2B show for bike shops!  What started as a small show outside Chicago has grown to multiple locations covering the Midwest, East, and West Coast bicycle retailers.  CABDA, along with the Sea Otter Classic, has filled in the gap left by the Interbike tradeshow.  As a bicycle manufacturer, distributor, supplier, or bike adjacent company, both shows are a great way to get in front of your B2B audience. 

 

10. Surf Expo:

Held in Florida, the Surf Expo is another B2B show that bills itself as the ‘largest and longest-running board sports and beach resort lifestyle tradeshow in the world’.

 

 

 

The Best Tradeshows Might Actually be a Sporting Event or Festival

 

As you can see from our list, the best tradeshows may not be your traditional tradeshows at all.  Although shows like Outdoor Retailer are a great place to network, if you own a small outdoor brand, you may not be able to afford the steep entrance or exhibitor fees.  In addition, many of these outdoor industry events may not be consumer-facing.

Therefore, a better option than Outdoor Retailer could be to host a booth at a sports event or festival like the GoPro Games or Sea Otter Classic!  Whichever trade show you choose, our last blog has a lot of tips on how to be successful!

 

INDUSTRY EVENTS AND TRADESHOWS: SUCCESSFUL MARKETING STRATEGIES

 

International Tradeshows

 

If your products have a more international market, and you’re willing to travel, shows like ISPO Munich, the Outdoor Trade Show in the UK, and Eurobike should be on your radar.

 

New Outdoor Events and Tradeshows

 

Here are a few of the newer outdoor industry events that may not be on your radar yet, but are beginning to gain traction:

• Connect By Grassroots: A 4-day, invitation-only, outdoor specialty retailer show held in June in Reno, NV, and in November in Kansas City, MO.  It’s billed as a simple, efficient buying show for the outdoor industry that builds relationships and helps specialty retailers and vendors succeed.  This small but mighty show competes with Outdoor Retailer’s Summer Market.

   

• The Big Gear Show: The Big Gear Show also competes with Outdoor Retailer’s Summer Market in June and is a B2B and B2C event.  It features paddling, camping, rock climbing, and biking hard goods and was recently combined with the Outside Festival in Denver, Colorado.

   

• Snowbound Expo: This established consumer-facing B2C tradeshow has been held most recently in Boston in November, and attracts winter outdoor sports enthusiasts.  

 

Outline Your tradeshow marketing game plan

 

If you’re still not sure which shows to attend, how much to budget, how to keep your shop staffed or who to send, you are not alone.  Here are a few things to think about:

1. What are your tradeshow costs?

 

First, add up your costs to attend each tradeshow:

• Flights, accommodations, transportation (for you, your team, and your gear/products)
• Food and beverages, hosting client dinners
• Exhibitor booth space plus booth design if you do not have a booth already

 

Need ideas on how to design your booth?

• Reducing Plastic Waste at Outdoor Retailer: A great piece on Patagonia’s audit of its Outdoor Retailer exhibit and what you can learn from it.

• Trade Show Booths: 100 Best Ideas: There are so many good ideas in here!

 

2. What audience does the tradeshow serve?

 

Is the tradeshow or event you’re considering consumer-facing?  Can potential buyers see, touch, test, and buy your products?

Or will this be mainly a chance to meet with retail or wholesale buyers, and get your products into new stores?

 

3. Can you set up meetings at each tradeshow?

 

You’re investing quite a lot of time and money to attend an industry tradeshow.  Therefore, are there ways you can set up meetings ahead of the show and plan out each day?

Hint: Many tradeshows now have apps or an exhibitor/vendor portal where you can schedule or request meetings, and connect with brands or buyers before you arrive!

In addition, many of the tradeshow apps let you schedule a happy hour, meet & greet, or giveaway at your booth!

 

 

4. What is your expected ROI for each event or tradeshow?

 

Attending one of the bigger tradeshows in the outdoor industry can eat up a good portion of your marketing budget.  Therefore, make sure you have goals set for what you expect to get out of each event:

• Fill a certain number of orders or sell a certain amount of products?
• Launch new products and create brand awareness?
• Collect email addresses?
• Gain social media followers?

 

5. Can you create a fun event activation at the tradeshow?

 

Creating a fun opportunity to engage with potential clients, generate buzz on social media, and create user-generated content at the show is a no-brainer.  However, it’s often something left until the last minute!

Instead, plan ahead and launch or conclude a giveaway!  Host a competition at your booth to generate buzz!  Use social media to advertise it.  And remember to have a way to collect those email addresses!

 

Here are a few other ideas we’ve used:

• Bring a big wheel that people can spin to win your products or fun items with your logo on them.
• Host a booth happy hour, or a happy hour outside the show if you’re not exhibiting.
• Create a daily booth giveaway, winners must be in attendance!
• Set up a photo booth, complete with fun hats, glasses, and wigs themed to match your brand!
• Create a video testimonial booth where people can talk about your product.

 

Pro tip: You can easily set up a photo or video booth using a tripod with an iPad, or even a phone and a nice backdrop.  In order to seamlessly collect emails, and have guests share their photos on social, use a photo booth app like LumaBooth, Simple Booth Halo, or Unsnapped.

And lastly, check out the event activation we helped create for TASCO MTB at the Sea Otter Classic!

 

Do you have a tradeshow follow-up plan?

 

Meaning how will you follow up with those you met at the tradeshow?  In addition, will team members that attended present their new discoveries to the rest of your team?

Will this influence your marketing or sales strategy going forward?

Lastly, don’t forget to bring home some fun swag for those that kept the shop running while you were gone!

 

 

Making the Most of Your Tradeshow Experience

 

Here are even more tips on how to make the most of your tradeshow experience:

• Outside Mag: Showtime- How to Optimize Your Trade Show Strategy

 

Final Thoughts on the Best Tradeshows this Year

 

We hope this blog gave you ideas on how to make the most of your time at the best tradeshows of the year.

Need a game plan and some extra hands to help you execute a fun event activation or provide media coverage?  Drop us a line!  Also, check out the other posts we’ve written about marketing and advertising for the outdoor industry:

• 8 Easy Steps to Kickstart Your Online Advertising

• How to Find the Right Brand Ambassadors and Influencers for Your Brand

• 15 Ways to Create Higher Conversions Using Facebook Ads

 

To learn more about what we do on the regular, follow Top Rope Media’s adventures on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Until next time, enjoy the reason we work in the outdoor industry in the first place.  To get outside and play!

– Meredith McConvill, Top Rope Media