Outdoor Retailer Summer Market '04 update — On-site reg has moved, plus look for waffles, foot massages, arm wrestling, and more

Do you have a Summer Market event you think is worth noting?
If you have a trade show event that’s scheduled, confirmed, and more than just an introduction of a new product (as in, we’ll only promote it if we deem it to be both entertaining and educational), fire an email to the SNEWS® team at orevents@snewsnet.com.

Quick Summer Market News

>> According to Outdoor Retailer-reported numbers, 5,250 retailers have already registered to attend Summer Market, which is up significantly from the 3,750 who pre-registered by this time last year — of course actual attendance, not registration is proof of a show’s success, but this is certainly a healthy sign for OR. While free pre-registration for retailers ended last Friday, July 9 (exhibitors can register for free anytime cause ya’ll are special), it is still worth your while to pre-register by July 23 to ensure you receive your badges (yes, you do need a stinkin’ badge), floor maps, and handbook before the show. Retailers will pay $30 per registration. After July 23, pre-registered attendees will be entered “in the system” and can pick up badges onsite without having to fill out any annoying paperwork…there are even automated check-in stations beginning Wednesday, Aug. 11. By the way, the registration location has changed! Because OR has sold literally every square inch of trade show space (don’t be surprised if you open up a stall in the bathroom and find a booth with a poor rep giving a line presentation), registration has now moved to Salt Lake City Visitors Center just North of the Salt Palace main entrance. If you have not yet registered, click here. If you are unable to register online, you will find all registration forms on OR’s website, and you can fax them in for immediate processing.

>> OIWC needs a few volunteers to help staff its trade show booth at Summer Market. The group is looking for women or men to work in the booth in two-hour shifts during the show. It also will need some additional help with other activities being held during the show. Trade show badges will be provided to any volunteer that needs one — hmmm, if you are a retailer and don’t want to pay the $30, here is your perfect opportunity to serve a great cause and save some bucks. If you are interested, please contact Kitty Bradley by email at kbradley1@yahoo.com. Let her know what days or times you are available.

Events Worth Attending

The SNEWS® team has accepted the mission of weeding through all the press release fluffery and mounds of show announcements to bring you only events we believe are really worth the time. To that end, we highly recommend that you mark your Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2004 calendars for the following:

>> The Conservation Alliance is celebrating its 15th Anniversary and is holding a membership meeting that will bring the roof down with not one but two great speakers! The “official” guest speaker is Deb Callahan, president of the League of Conservation Voters. Callahan will explain why the results of the November election will have an enormous impact on our treasured wild places. Yvon Chouinard will also speak, offering his thoughts on why The Conservation Alliance is important to both our industry and the environment. You don’t have to be a Conservation Alliance member to attend. Mark your calendar for Alliance Membership Meeting, Friday, Aug. 13, 8-9 a.m. at the Salt Lake Marriott, Salon F.

>> Remember all the uproar over testing standards and such for sleeping bags not so very long ago? No? Well we do, and while the discussions were a bit, well, passionate, some super information came out of them that the industry could put to good use — namely PrimaLoft® is sponsoring a technical clinic to help answer questions about testing and provide information that could help designers produce higher-quality bags. Mark your calendars for Friday, Aug. 13 from 7:30-9 a.m. The seminar is being held at the Downtown Marriott Hotel across from the Salt Palace Convention Center. Two of the world’s leading authorities on sleeping bag testing and construction, Dr. Elizabeth McCullough, professor of Textile Science at Kansas State University, and Andrew Li, senior manager and director of Tungsang Sleeping Bag Factory Ltd., will present testing for sleeping bag compressibility, warmth and durability. They will also discuss ways to optimize sleeping bag design for each performance characteristic. A light breakfast will be served.

>> Mmmmmmm. Start your morning out right! From 9-11 a.m. every day of the show you’ll find the Dunham team (Booth 3821) serving up hot, fresh waffles with strawberries or blueberries. Also, you are encouraged to stop in to be properly sized at Dunham’s exclusive fitting station. Every foot size and width encouraged to stop by! And yes, you can get sized while eating.

>> Only one thing as good as a breakfast of waffles and strawberries — a free foot massage. Thank you Fox River! Just as your dogs are beginning to scream on day two, head over to booth 1801 and rip off your shoes, your old socks (give them to Fox River for a free new pair) and then sit back and go, ahhhhhhhh. Massages are being offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

>> And, finally, we leave you with this last tidbit. Arm wrestling. That’s right. Work out your anger at not getting the extra dating from those companies who have the audacity to want to get paid sometime in the next decade by heading over to the Climbing Zone at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Friday or Saturday, to enter into Mad Rock’s Strong Arm competition. We have been assured that medical assistance for those ripped off arms and body parts is only a few steps away.