The largest outdoor industry trade show in the U.S. is scaling back its Denver-based national shows. Outdoor Retailer said it’s canceling the Winter Market. It will now be combined with the Snow Show, creating the Outdoor + Snow Show scheduled for January 29-31 at the Colorado Convention Center.
“Through ongoing feedback, it has become clear that one combined winter show in January will best support brands, retailers and reps, leading to greater value for all in attendance,” Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer senior vice president said in a statement.
The change comes just a year after Denver’s first Winter Market when Outdoor Retailer moved to Colorado after 20 years in Salt Lake City, Utah. Political differences over public lands between the outdoor recreation industry and Utah political leaders prompted the move.
Last year, the Winter Market was moved up to November from January to be an earlier winter buying-season launch event. Snow Show was then pushed back to later January after Outdoor Retailer acquired it from Snowsports Industries America.
“The outdoor and snow communities would prefer to gather at a single show in the same timeframe,” the statement reads. “As a result, the decision was made to bring these two shows back together in January.”
It was a joint decision between Outdoor Retailer and Boulder-based Outdoor Industry Association to end the Winter Market.
“Our job at OIA is to listen to our members, to be innovative and to support the timing of the trade shows to create the highest return-on-investment and efficiency for the outdoor marketplace,” OIA Executive Director Amy Roberts said in a statement.
Exhibitors and sponsors already contracted for Winter Market 2019 will have space on hold and available to them for the show in January, and the annual Outdoor Retailer Innovation Awards will shift to the Outdoor + Snow Show in January.
