Outdoor Retailer Parent Company Acquires Overland Expo Series

Ever heard of Emerald? No? That’s OK. The company is best known for putting on Outdoor Retailer, a huge bi-yearly event attended by a who’s-who of outdoor industry brands and journalists (as well as a multitude of other tradeshows for other industries). But Emerald today announced the acquisition of Lodestone Events, the company responsible for the popular Overland Expo Series.

The move represents a diversification of mission for Emerald, as the Overland Expo Series is customer-facing instead of a pure business-to-business event.

So, what does this mean for you, the outdoor-loving, adventure-traveling reader? We’re glad you asked.

“[This acquisition] creates an expansive offering of consumer experiences not seen before in the outdoor community,” said Jeff Davis, group Vice President of Emerald, in a press release.

“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.”

Translation? Look for the Overland Expo Series to get bigger and better — and include more gear — moving forward.

Overlanding, Meet Human-Powered Adventure Sports

Lodestone previously held the Overland Expo four times yearly, once each in Arizona, Oregon, Colorado, and Virginia. There’s no indication of that schedule changing now that Emerald has the reigns.

But Expo attendees might expect more synergy between their chosen human-powered sports and the vehicles they use to get to those sports.

“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.

With the acquisition, Overland Expo joins Emerald’s existing consumer-facing outdoor show — Outdoor AdventureX. As it happens, Lodestone Events was the company putting on Outdoor AdventureX for Emerald, so all involved are well-used to working together.

“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,” per an Emerald press release.

In an age of acquisition and downsizing, that’s good news for everybody.