Just as Outdoor Retailer (OR) is getting into its groove again with a move to Minneapolis as its new stomping ground, it might see another change ahead in 2026.
On Tuesday, OR’s parent Emerald Holding Inc. said it has begun a review of “potential strategic options” for a possible sale of itself following receipt of inquiries from interested buyers. The B2B event organizer said it has hired Goldman Sachs & Co. as its lead financial advisor.
“The inquiries we’ve received from multiple parties underscore the market’s recognition of the value we’ve created and the essential role live events play in driving connection, innovation, and commerce across the industries we serve,” said Emerald’s president and chief executive officer Hervé Sedky. “Our board is taking a thoughtful, proactive approach to evaluating these as part of its responsibility to maximize shareholder value.”
Emerald said there was no guarantee that a transaction would occur following the review of options, and that it didn’t plan to provide any updates until either an agreement is reached or the review is “otherwise completed.”
Emerald said it is reaffirming its full year 2025 guidance of revenues between $460 million to $465 million. Sedky noted that the company’s “disciplines execution and resilient business model continue to reinforce our position as a scaled, insights-driven B2B events platform built for durable, long-term growth.”
In addition to OR, the event organizer also owns and operates other tradeshows that include Overland Expo, Surf Expo, and Sports Licensing & Tailgate Show.
The outdoor retail sector has been undergoing a bit of a reset as consumer preferences shift, and tariffs and trade issues have impacted how retailers operate to stay relevant. That has resulted in some specialty chains such as REI and Orvis deciding to close some stores earlier this year. The shift also has included tradeshow groups trying to figure out how to adapt.
The European Outdoor Group paused its international trade show in 2025, but will return next year from May 17-18 in Riva del Garda in Italy as part of a new initiative called European Outdoor Week.
Meanwhile, OR in October said it was moving to Minneapolis to rebuild its presence in the tradeshow circuit. The move saw OR working with Leadership Village — co-led by athlete and Summit Scholarship founder Sunny Stroeer and industry veteran Paul Gagner — to shape the format of the new show. Other experts in the outdoor sector are also lending a hand through Leadership Village to craft the show’s reinvention.
The OR show is set to host its inaugural Urban Outdoor Experiences on Aug. 20-21, 2026, at its 2026 Minneapolis show from Aug. 19-21. The curated outdoor experiences program includes hiking, trail running, yoga, walking, birding and climbing. OR said the events are minutes away from the Minneapolis Convention Center, and will be hosted in partnership with The Loppet Foundation. The primary location will be at the Theodore Wirth Regional Park, considered the crown jewel of the Minneapolis park system that spans over 740 acres.
OR is focused on the outdoor and winter sports industry. Its main event brings together retailers, manufacturers, designers, distributors, industry advocates and more to connect on the business of outdoor recreation. But while OR was in the midst of moving from Denver back to its former home in Utah, it faced challenges that saw its role in the events space decline. That created room for Switchback to become the go-to for the outdoor sector, and it became a stand-alone event this past June in Nashville at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Before becoming a stand-alone event, Switchback was the outdoor-focused section that was part of The Running Event trade show. Plans are already in place for a second standalone event in New Orleans in June 2026.
Representatives for Outdoor Retailer did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
