MINNEAPOLIS — A leading outdoors trade show that is considered a showplace for emerging gear and trends is pulling its western stakes for a new home in Minnesota.

Organizers of Outdoor Retailer (OR) said the state has several advantages as a new home: Recreation that generates billions of dollars through business and participation; a diversity of retail brands; and accommodating facilities and green spaces.

“All combined, it really pushed Minnesota to the top of the list,” said Lindsay Hubley, a senior vice president at Emerald, Outdoor Retailer’s parent company.

The 2026 show is Aug. 19-21 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. For years Outdoor Retailer was held in the west, most recently in Salt Lake City this summer.

“It is a signal of confidence in Minnesota’s outdoors industry. It’s an amazing spotlight,” said Randolph Briley, director of Minnesota’s Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership. He said the state didn’t offer any incentives to coax the trade show.

Beyond major companies like Polaris, Red Wing Shoes and Winnebago, the expo bodes well for the small brands that he represents, said Lloyd Vogel, chief executive of Garage Grown Gear in St. Paul.

“[OR] is an opportunity to put Minnesota brands on a national stage,” he added. “We all know how cool the outdoors are in Minnesota.”

Vogel said the central location could entice smaller East Coast brands, too, that perhaps couldn’t afford a cross-country trip.

A show in transition

OR’s first show was in 1982 in Las Vegas. It was hosted in Utah for 22 years (1996-2017) before relocating to Denver, a move largely driven by Utah’s land management policies. It returned to Salt Lake City in 2022, prompting continued criticism from major outdoor brands — including REI, Patagonia and the North Face — that boycotted the event.

“It was the undisputed king for probably 20 years, and then it sort of faltered over the last five years and lost its status … and really became like a shell of what it was in its glory days,” said Stephen Regenold, founder of GearJunkie.

Regenold said part of the decline stems from shifting attitudes toward trade shows. Big brands such as Yeti and Columbia have found new ways to reach retailers and consumers.

That was one reason Regenold and others skipped last year’s show, which featured mostly startups and smaller companies.

“If all the heavy hitters are there, it will naturally draw the industry,” he said. “If it remains a niche event, which is what it’s kind of turned into, it’ll be a smaller draw.”

This year’s show had more than 350 brands, with 1,700 people attending, Hubley said.

But the show also served as a “giant family reunion” in past years, Regenold said, something people in the industry are hoping returns with the move and new programming efforts.

Vogel said OR is attempting to catch up with an industry where old trade show models are obsolete.

“The purpose of trade shows has changed from orders to idea discovery,” he said.

OR plans to add a platform called the Leadership Village, made up of retail leaders, designers, sustainability experts and even athletes to flesh out new ideas.

Minnesota has been ramping up efforts to promote its outdoor economy in recent years.

Regenold, who served on a government task force in 2021, said that group found Minnesota should “lean into outdoor recreation as a pillar of its state infrastructure and industry.”

Based on those recommendations, Gov. Tim Walz created the Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership in 2023.

The initiative brings together the Department of Employment and Economic Development, Department of Natural Resources, Explore Minnesota Tourism and Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation to expand the state’s outdoor economy.

In 2023, the state’s recreation industry added $13.5 billion in value to Minnesota’s economy, according the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — a $3.7 billion increase since 2019. The state ranked 13th nationally for growth. Boating and fishing generated $1.1 billion — the largest value among recreational activities.

A report compiled by Explore Minnesota in December 2024 noted that manufacturers and retailers in the state have been hurt by “the current economic climate but this growth highlights the sector’s resilience.”

This August, several Minnesota companies and trade organizations launched the Minnesota State Outdoor Business Alliance to boost the sector and share resources between members. Founding members include Garage Grown Gear, Red Wing Shoes, and Winnebago.

GearJunkie and the Minnesota Star Tribune also are founding members.

Duluth will host the National Outdoor Recreation Conference in May 2026. The event brings together park managers, tourism officials and industry leaders from across the country to share ideas, learn best practices and explore ways to strengthen outdoor recreation in their communities.

Next year will also mark the return of Quality Bicycle Products’ Frostbike, which took a pause after 2022 because of the pandemic. Midwest Mountaineering previously held a consumer-facing expo each spring and fall before closing in 2023.

“The ethos of this state aligns with the ethos of the outdoors industry,” Regenold said.

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