An atmosphere of great enthusiasm characterised the first edition of OUTDOOR & ORBDAYS, which closed with record-breaking figures, transforming Riva del Garda into the world capital of the outdoor and running industry: over 8,000 industry professionals from 59 countries, more than 250 exhibitors, and over 400 brands. For the first time, the event was part of European Outdoor Week, a new and ambitious project organised by MagNet together with its strategic partner, the European Outdoor Group. A full week that began with the Outdoor Impact Summit, two days of high-level discussions on sustainability, and continued with the European Outdoor Awards, recognising the most innovative products, and the European Outdoor Media Day, where leading equipment and clothing brands met with industry journalists. In addition, the Activation Days, scheduled for the weekend, allowed enthusiasts to try out the latest innovations and take part in guided runs, climbing experiences, trail running, via ferrata, trekking, Nordic walking and yoga.

“When we decided to join forces with the European Outdoor Group to launch this ambitious project – a whole week dedicated to everyone in the outdoor industry, from operators across every sector to end consumers – we were convinced of the huge potential of this development, built on the solid foundations of the 12 editions of the Outdoor & Running Business Days,” said Benedetto Sironi, CEO of Magnet. “The enthusiasm and response shown by the entire sector towards this ambitious project have exceeded all expectations”.

The event clearly demonstrated its international scope: of the more than 3,000 registered retailers and buyers, almost half were coming from as many as 59 countries outside Italy. Particularly strong was the presence of operators from the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), Europe’s most important market, with over 400 people in attendance, including retailers and buyers. The transformation of the trade show is also evident when analysing the corporate identities of the exhibitors, which have seen parent companies taking the place of Italian subsidiaries and distributors.

The next event is now scheduled for 2027, when the fair will take place from 10 to 12 May, preceded by the Activation Days (8 and 9 May) and the Outdoor Media Day and European Outdoor Awards ceremony on 9 May, whilst the Impact Summit will take place after the trade show, on 12 and 13 May.