OUTDOOR RETAILER TO MOVE DATES FOR ITS SNOW SHOWS NEXT YEAR

Outdoor Retailer, the largest U.S. tradeshow for the outdoor community, has announced that dates for future Outdoor Retailer Snow Shows will move into the last week of January beginning in 2019 and will remain in the last week of January through 2022.

The buying groups that compose the Winter Sports Market (WSM), the Sports Specialists Ltd. (SSL) and Snowsports Merchandising Corp. (SMC), will co-locate at the Colorado Convention Center for three days leading into each Outdoor Retailer Snow Show.

“We’re listening, we heard you loud and clear and we’ve adjusted our January dates,” said Marisa Nicholson, vice president and show director for Outdoor Retailer. “While we received very positive feedback on this past January show, especially because it combined outdoor and snowsports, we also heard the message from the majority of retailers — the early January dates would not work. We heard it in our Advisory Council Meetings, in our store visits and at the rep shows. We heard it from reps and exhibitors looking out for their customers. Thanks to SSL and SMC and their spirit of cooperation, together we were able to make this is a win-win for everyone.”

Further, with the move to late January dates, all three Outdoor Retailer shows are now in the correct time frames for when retailers want to see products and make their buying decisions, which is why Grassroots Outdoor Alliance is co-locating with Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in November and SSL and SMC are co-locating with Outdoor Retailer Snow Show in January.

“We’re extremely pleased that Outdoor Retailer listened to the needs of the specialty retail community and has scheduled their show so as to not conflict with the busy pre-Martin Luther King holiday selling season,” maintained SMC president, Tom Gately. “The selling season for snowsports is extremely short and retailers need to be in their stores in the most critical times they have to do business.”

“It’s critical now more than ever that the winter and outdoor industries work together to forge the best path forward,” added Nick Sargent, president of Snowsports Industries America. “Big thanks to Outdoor Retailer for listening and responding to the concerns of our industry stakeholders: manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and the rep and buying groups. To have everyone under one roof is a huge win for everyone.”

The next Outdoor Retailer Snow Show will take place Wednesday, January 30, 2019 to Friday, February 1, 2019.