MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Outdoor Retailer kicks off in Minneapolis this week, the first year the city will host the massive trade show.
Outdoor Retailer in Minneapolis
What we know:
Wednesday is the first day of show activities for Outdoor Retailer. The trade show will host an "Education Symposium" which includes a keynote address and other talks.
The true show opens up Thursday morning.
Show details:
The trade show will run Thursday, August 20 and Friday, August 21 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The show is for retailers and industry insiders.
Economic impact
Big picture view:
The trade show is one of the biggest shows of the year for the outdoor industry. The show used to be hosted in Salt Lake City with estimates that it would generate upwards of $45 million in economic activity for the local economy.
What happened?:
The show moved out of Salt Lake City after controversy over Utah's support of a Trump administration plan to shrink the size of the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.
Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard blasted the decision by then-Utah Governor Gary Herbert in a 2017 blog post, announcing it would boycott the Outdoor Retailer show that year.
Other retailers joined the boycott and ultimately, organizers moved the show to Colorado in 2018. After a few years there, it moved back to Salt Lake City briefly before organizers chose Minneapolis as its new home for future shows. In 2024, organizers also announced they would shift from a biannual event to an annual event, which they said would allow them to hold a larger expo.