Outdoor Retailer Announces Expanded Paddlesports Initiative for Summer 2017

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, California — Outdoor Retailer is pleased to announce an enhanced paddle initiative with new experiences to be introduced at Summer Market, July 26-29, 2017. In addition to the Open Air Demo returning to Jordanelle, there will be new clinics, education programs and networking sessions available to help drive consumer engagement and sales. Of special note is a new series of workshops at the Open Air Demo covering best practices for planning and staging consumer events featuring successful retailers like Alpenglow Sports as well as teams from Outdoor Retailer and Emerald Expositions.

Outdoor Retailer and Surf Expo will debut a joint Retailer Exchange Program at Summer Market 2017 and Surf Expo September 2017. This program will introduce Outdoor Retailer’s top outdoor and paddle buyers to Surf Expo and Surf Expo’s top cruise, resort, and regional East/Caribbean buyers to Outdoor Retailer. By expanding these buyers’ opportunity to shop both shows, each have the benefit of discovering brands, trends, and products unique to these events.

“Paddling is a fundamental outdoor experience that contributes to and thrives alongside the rest of the human-powered industry represented at Summer Market,” said Marisa Nicholson, Vice President Outdoor Retailer and Show Director. “Our Retail Relations team has been engaged with independent specialty and paddlesport specific retailers and reps and we have listened closely to their feedback and are grateful for their insights. This year’s changes reflect those discussions.”

The Open Air Demo, July 25, 2017, will return to Jordanelle State Park, just 45 minutes from Salt Lake City, and 20 minutes from Park City. With record water levels expected, the venue offers not only unmatched paddling options, but the surrounding terrain brings back opportunities for crossover marketing with trail running, climbing, camping and other land-based pursuits, showcasing the full spectrum of outdoor activities as they intersect with paddling. Buyers will have access to on-water clinics like technique, safety, equipment care, nutrition and more.

Outside the Pavilions, Outdoor Retailer will feature the Paddle Tank and BoardWalk – an interactive gallery of SUP boards for side-by-side comparisons of the different board designs and features. While in the Salt Palace, Outdoor Retailer’s on-floor education center, The Camp, will showcase paddle industry panels as well as seminars identifying and explaining how to integrate new product categories to retailers’ product assortment.

Photo courtesy: Outdoor Retailer

“The summer Outdoor Retailer show is the perfect place for us to see all the newest paddle options for our kayaks and paddle boards,” said Scott Olson, Owner, Pedal 'N Paddle, Hanalei, Hawaii. “All the best vendors are at this show enabling us to find what will fit our customers’ needs best without having to travel all over the country.”

“Situated next to a broad spectrum of outdoor lifestyle brands, Outdoor Retailer is the only event where buyers may see crossover outdoor apparel, gear and accessories that work in tandem with paddlesports. As more consumers continue to redefine their outdoor experience combining outdoor and lifestyle events, Summer Market provides dealers with one stop shopping,” continued Nicholson.

Iconic brands from the paddlesport community will be on hand to unveil Spring 2018 product including Advanced Elements; Aire; Aqua Lung America; Astral Buoyancy; BIC; BOTE; Cataract Oars/Advanced Composites Inc; Future Beach; Greenland Sales Corporation; Hobie Cat Company; Hala Gear SUP; Jackson Kayak; Johnson Outdoors Watercraft; Kokatat Inc; Level Six Inc; Lifetime Products; Malone Auto Racks; MTI Adventurewear; NRS; Pelican International; RAM Mounts; Sage Marine; Salus Marine Wear Inc; Sawyer Products; Sea Eagle Boats Inc; Seattle Sports Co; Sparehand Paddlesports/Stoneman Sports; Thule and Wenonah. A full list of paddle brands can be viewed on the Outdoor Retailer website: outdoorretailer.com/paddle.

"The Open Air Demo and Outdoor Retailer is our best opportunity each year to not only meet with the paddle industry's top buyers, but build relationships with specialty retailers looking at our products as a unique and interesting addition to their offering," commented Ruth Triglia, Hobie Cat Senior VP of Sales. "At last year's OAD, we saw hundreds of buyers and were able to give them a personal and detailed understanding of our new Mirage Eclipse. This quality time on the water with buyers is the prime reason we do the Demo. No other time during the year can we get this granular and hands on with the number of retailers we see in this one day."

About Outdoor Retailer:

Outdoor Retailer brings together retailers, manufacturers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of outdoor recreation through tradeshows, Outdoor Retailer Magazine, product demo events, media events and web-based business solutions. The Outdoor Retailer tradeshows are the premier outdoor industry events for North America, providing platforms for critical face-to-face business initiatives, line previews, innovations launches, networking and retailer education. Visit outdoorretailer.com for more information.

Outdoor Retailer is owned by Emerald Expositions, the largest operator of business-to-business trade shows in the United States, with its oldest trade shows dating back over 110 years. The company operates more than 50 trade shows, including 31 of the top 250 trade shows in the country as ranked by TSNN, as well as numerous other events. Emerald Expositions’ events connect over 500,000 global attendees and exhibitors and occupy over 6.7 million NSF of exhibition space. The company has been recognized with many awards and accolades that reflect industry leadership as well as the importance of its shows to the exhibitors and attendees they serve.