We are excited to announce the acquisition of consumer event specialists Lodestone Events, producers of the hugely successful Overland Expo series of adventure travel consumer shows. Lodestone is also Outdoor Retailer’s strategic partner on Outdoor Adventure X, Emerald’s first outdoor consumer event. Emerald and Lodestone share a mission to promote, encourage, and celebrate outdoor recreation.
All Lodestone employees will join the Emerald team, with Lodestone founders Lindsay Hubley and Jessica Kirchner joining Emerald’s management team and continuing to lead the Overland Expo series. In addition, they will oversee Outdoor Adventure X, debuting this June 17-18, 2023, at Snowbasin Resort in Huntsville, Utah.
Overland Expo is the world’s premier event series for adventure travel enthusiasts and stages four consumer shows annually, one each in Arizona, Oregon, Colorado, and Virginia. Last year, the events attracted nearly 80,000 consumer attendees, 1,300 exhibitors, and 250 journalists. In addition to a wide variety of camping and product demonstrations, attendees had access to 1,700 hours of classroom-style education, roundtable discussions and hands-on instruction across 1,380 sessions.
“Bringing the Overland Expo series of four premier events and Outdoor Adventure X together creates an expansive offering of consumer experiences not seen before in the outdoor community,” said Jeff Davis, group vice president, Emerald. “We look forward to the synergy these iconic gatherings bring to our collective events while creating even greater value for the entire outdoor ecosystem, from manufacturers to retailers and consumers. With the growing demand for outdoor experiences, we are excited to increase the opportunities for consumers to engage directly with their preferred products and brands, as well as discover new gear and opportunities to support their outdoor pursuits.”
“Overland is a growing market segment, recognized and valued by the outdoor industry at large. Overlanders are outdoor enthusiasts and explorers who outfit their vehicles for backcountry adventures, which often include hiking, camping, paddlesports, cycling, and climbing,” said Lindsay Hubley, Managing Partner of Lodestone Events.
“We’ve spent the last four years enhancing the attendee and client experience at Overland Expo events, developing the brand’s daily digital content offerings, and syndicating the event series into high-demand markets. Our team is more than just consumer event experts; they are passionate about gathering communities of enthusiasts to get trained, outfitted, and inspired for their outdoor adventures. In addition, we are inspired by Emerald’s commitment to connecting enthusiasts with the brands they love in live event environments. We look forward to continuing to enhance the client and attendee experience at events and applying the core business philosophies that have made Overland Expo successful in developing Emerald’s B2C properties,” Hubley added.
Overland Expo joins Emerald’s action and outdoor portfolio of events that includes Outdoor Retailer Winter, Outdoor Retailer Summer, The Summit by Outdoor Retailer, Outdoor Adventure X, Surf Expo, and Shop-Eat-Surf.
The Outdoor Retailer Team