COVID-19  April 2, 2020

Outdoor Retailer cancels Summer Market trade show

DENVER — The outdoor industry’s largest summer trade show and exhibition is the latest coronavirus casualty. 

Outdoor Retailer announced Thursday afternoon the cancellation of Summer Market 2020, set to begin June 23 in Denver. 

OR said that Summer Market 2020 will not be rescheduled. 

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“While we did investigate potential alternative dates for the show, due to logistical issues, as well as clear feedback from retailers, reps and brands, we were forced to cancel and not postpone Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2020,”  OR show director Marisa Nicholson said in a news release. “Despite cancelling our in-person summer show, we are committed to keeping us all connected because it’s with the help of each other that we move forward. As the largest network of outdoor businesses, we are doing everything we can to leverage that for the health of our industry.”

The mega outdoor industry trade show is taking steps to create digital platforms to help support vendors as they traverse the summer buying season, according to information supplied by Outdoor Retailer.

“This is an unprecedented situation. In a world with so much uncertainty right now, we can take steps to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and support our industry through these challenging times,” Nicholson said. “It was a difficult decision to make as Summer Market is integral to the business of many and it’s the outdoor industry’s chance to gather as a community, but protecting the health and safety of everyone remains our top priority.”

“We have engaged brands, retailers, reps and partners to better understand the fast-evolving reality of the impact of COVID-19 on their businesses. With that information, we are designing digital solutions to serve our industry’s needs in ways that best suit these unprecedented times,” Nicholson said. 

Outdoor Retailer is working with the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and Snowsports Industries America (SIA) to identify the digital tools and programming that will best support members and the outdoor and snowsports industries.

Outdoor Retailer plans to bring the industry together again in January 2021. The winter show returns to Denver and the Colorado Convention Center from Jan. 27-29. 

Lucas High
A Maryland native, Lucas has worked at news agencies from Wyoming to South Carolina before putting roots down in Colorado.
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