More than 8,000 industry professionals, 250 exhibitors, over 400 brands and 2,700 buyers from 60 countries. The 12th edition of the trade show, held from May 17 to 19 as part of the inaugural European Outdoor Week, posted record-breaking figures, standing out as the leading event for international industry operators.

An atmosphere of widespread enthusiasm unlike anything the sector has seen at a trade show in years: this was one of the key takeaways from the 12th edition of Outdoor & Running Business Days (ORBDAYS) in Riva del Garda, which this year joined forces with the historic OUTDOOR trade show. Marking the debut edition of OUTDOOR & ORBDAYS – which closed with record-breaking numbers and established itself as Europe’s benchmark event for the outdoor and running industry (and far beyond, considering the truly global origins of its visitors) – from May 17 to 19 Riva del Garda and its exhibition centre became the global hub of the outdoor and running industry. More than 8,000 industry professionals from 60 countries attended the event, alongside over 250 exhibitors, more than 400 brands, dozens of workshops and activities dedicated to buyers, retailers, media representatives and all other industry stakeholders. For the first time, the event was also included within the European Outdoor Week, a new and ambitious project organized by MagNet together with its strategic partner European Outdoor Group. An entire week that began with the Outdoor Impact Summit – two days of high-level discussions focused on sustainability – and continued with the European Outdoor Awards, celebrating the industry’s most innovative products, as well as the European Outdoor Media Day, where leading equipment and apparel brands met with international trade journalists. The program also featured the Activation Days, held on Saturday May 16 and Sunday May 17, giving outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to test the latest gear innovations and take part in guided runs, climbing experiences, trail running, via ferrata routes, trekking, Nordic walking and yoga sessions.

GLOBAL REACH

The agreement between MagNet, organizer of ORBDAYS, and the European Outdoor Group (EOG) further accelerated the internationalization process the trade show had already embarked on in recent years. Indeed, thanks to a major organizational and communication effort, the previous edition had already recorded a significant increase in international buyers. But the numbers and quality of operators attending the 2026 edition marked a decisive turning point and clearly demonstrated that OUTDOOR & ORBDAYS has become Europe’s leading event for the outdoor and running industry – with a resonance extending well beyond the continent. Of the more than 3,000 registered retailers and buyers, nearly half came from abroad, representing 59 countries in addition to Italy: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Cyprus, South Korea, Costa Rica, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Japan, Jordan, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iceland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Norway, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, Hungary, the United States and Vietnam. Particularly strong was the attendance from the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), Europe’s most important market, counting more than 400 retailers and buyers. The transformation of the trade show was also evident in the exhibitor profile, with headquarters and global companies increasingly replacing Italian subsidiaries and distributors.

“When we decided to join forces with the European Outdoor Group to create the ambitious project of an entire week dedicated to every stakeholder in the outdoor industry – from operators across every segment to end consumers – we were convinced of the enormous potential of this evolution, built on the strong foundations of 12 editions of Outdoor & Running Business Days,”

said Benedetto Sironi, CEO of MagNet.

‍“The enthusiasm and response shown by the entire industry toward this ambitious project exceeded all expectations. This success is also the result of outstanding teamwork from all the teams involved, each contributing highly significant added value. Encouraged by the excellent feedback, impressive numbers and the energy generated by the Outdoor Impact Summit, Activation Days, Media Day and European Outdoor Awards, we approached three intense days of trade show activities with great enthusiasm, welcoming professionals from 60 countries with the goal of establishing ourselves as the must-attend event for the European and international outdoor industry, in the extraordinary setting of Riva del Garda — a place where the outdoor spirit can manifest in its most authentic form.”

THE ROLE OF EOG AND OTHER PARTNERS

The conclusion of both the trade show and European Outdoor Week also brought satisfaction for Christian Schneidermeier, Managing Director of the European Outdoor Group.

‍“When we introduced the European Outdoor Week concept, we were confident that the proposed format would meet the needs of industry professionals. However, the real critical success factor would ultimately be their participation. It was an intense and multifaceted week, with OUTDOOR & ORBDAYS at the heart of the concept. Everywhere I went, I encountered a positive atmosphere and constant dialogue and exchange around every event. This confirms what the European Outdoor Group has long recognized: the industry wants – and needs – in-person events like this. Our task is to ensure these events are delivered to the highest standards, providing relevant and genuinely valuable content.”

High-level partnerships such as the one between MagNet and the European Outdoor Group demonstrate to the entire industry that collaboration remains the true path to success.

The success of the event was also made possible thanks to the joint work and strong support provided by the experienced team at Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, whose organizational expertise and management of the event’s two key venues – the lakeside Congress Centre and the Exhibition Centre in Baltera – added significant value to such an ambitious and multifaceted project as the first European Outdoor Week. The same applies to Garda Trentino and Trentino, the two hosting partners that supported the organization in multiple ways while showcasing the beauty of the region and territory – especially to the many international visitors who had never been to Riva del Garda or even Trentino before – a destination admired and appreciated worldwide.

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THE EXHIBITION CONCEPT

At the core of OUTDOOR & ORBDAYS’ success lies its unique format, combining the trade show layout –featuring pre-set booths where brands can preview upcoming collections and retailers can place orders in an inspiring environment – with a strong experiential soul: participants were given the opportunity to test products on dedicated routes designed to highlight their technical features or join guided activities organized in collaboration with brands and their ambassadors.

NETWORKING

The future of major trade shows increasingly revolves not only around product showcases, but also around networking opportunities among operators, brands and trade associations. This was a major focus at OUTDOOR & ORBDAYS, through a variety of formats and events. One of the key networking hubs was the Outdoor Network Lounge, a true gathering space created in collaboration with Assosport’s Italian Outdoor Group (IOG), the Scandinavian Outdoor Group and Outdoor Sports Valley (France). The collaboration with the Scandinavian Outdoor Group also led to the creation of the Scandinavian Outdoor Village, featuring leading brands from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. Among the highlights was the International Buyers Welcome, organized in collaboration with ICE — Italian Trade Agency for the promotion and internationalization of Italian companies together with Assosport and the Italian Outdoor Group. On Monday, the Italian, Scandinavian and French trade associations shared the latest market data and key trends during the Outdoor Groups Breakfast, while investment funds, C-level executives from the world’s leading outdoor brands and startups met during a dedicated networking lunch. OUTDOOR & ORBDAYS also hosted the IOG Assembly and the Outdoor Association Meeting, a discussion forum bringing together trade association representatives to address current issues affecting the outdoor sector. Equally important for the event’s success was the active contribution of other European associations, present either with booths or official delegations, including the German BSI (Bundesverband der Deutschen Sportartikel-Industrie), the UK’s OIA (Outdoor Industry Association), POG (Polish Outdoor Group) and Spain is Sport.

WORKSHOPS AND PRESENTATIONS

Numerous panels were organized throughout the three-day event, with a strong focus on education and internationalization. One of the standout moments was Monday morning’s presentation by McKinsey, a highly attended workshop exploring the latest outdoor and running market dynamics and the role of artificial intelligence in reshaping the industry. On Sunday, ISPO organizers unveiled key updates for the next edition of the trade show, which will be hosted in Amsterdam for the first time, while the European Outdoor Group presented the Outdoor Market Intelligence Service (OMIS), a platform capable of providing detailed sell-out data across Europe’s leading markets. On Monday, Brandwave – together with representatives from major global sports brands – presented a study on the rise of outdoor culture in the mainstream, from trail running shoes to Paris Fashion Week and water bottles as status symbols. Later in the morning the shoe counting 2.0 by Data Crunch, focusing on data, people and performance. In the afternoon, ESW, a company specialized in supporting direct-to-consumer sales systems, shared valuable insights about e-commerce. Product and technical education also came together during presentations of new climbing shoe models, paired with immediate testing opportunities on the bouldering wall. Joma unveiled the Italian Trail Running Team and the highly anticipated 2026 edition of the Cortina Dobbiaco Run. Athletic achievements also took center stage with the screening of “Oltre i Venti del Sud,” organized in collaboration with HDry and Vibram and attended by the protagonist and alpinist Matteo Della Bordella. The event also explored the intersection between outdoor culture and the arts through the presentation of the KOM-Kulture of Mountain festival by Karhu, which included a live music session.

EXPERIENCES

While the event is increasingly becoming a key business appointment, it has retained the experiential soul that continues to attract participants. Numerous trail running experiences took place throughout the event. Sunday featured experiences organized with Merrell and Vibram to test the iconic hexagon-brand outsoles – including BV Sport socks in the test kit – as well as a session organized with Mammut, Bauerfeind and Out Of, featuring Anna Hahner, one of Germany’s top trail runners. Monday morning opened with an off-road running session designed to energize participants for the day while testing La Sportiva products on Riva del Garda’s panoramic trails.

This was followed by the Switch Run by Atom, featuring Bliz: a relay-style course on a 400-meter loop with two shoe-change zones (at 150 and 300 meters), where runners alternated between two different shoe models during the run. The Keen B2B Experience focused on testing the Seek and Roam models, the brand’s latest trail running offering. A major success was also recorded for the outing with Marco De Gasperi, multiple world mountain running champion, together with athletes from i-eXe Team. Participants also had the opportunity to join personalized tests of the new NNormal Cadì featuring Vibram Megagrip outsoles. NNormal also took part in Running Minds, an inclusive 5 km running experience created by the Kilian Jornet Foundation (KJF) in collaboration with It’s Great Out There Coalition (IGOT) and Remoove. The program additionally featured a morning yoga class with Flavia Chiarelli, a via ferrata adventure through the Rio Sallagoni gorge with Skylotec, a Trekking Experience to test Trangoworld’s new technical pants with support from Fizan and Kayland/Trezeta, as well as a fast hiking product test organized by AKU. There was no shortage of fun moments either, such as the Polygiene Boulder Challenge contest, where participants had the chance to win a T-shirt treated with Polygiene Freshness technology.

INNOVATION FOR OUTDOOR: A PLATFORM FOR STARTUPS

Monday also marked the launch of the first edition of Innovation for Outdoor (In4Out). The afternoon event brought together startups, investors, companies and outdoor enthusiasts to explore the future pathways of outdoor innovation in Europe. Organized in collaboration with the European Outdoor Group, MagNet and SKInnovation, the initiative was designed to create a curated environment where emerging companies could engage directly with decision makers and key players within the ecosystem.

CIRCULARITY AT THE HEART OF THE EVENT

Long committed to sustainability, MagNet brought the concept of circularity to the trade show through several dedicated collaborations. Alongside Patagonia’s mobile Worn Wear repair station – where visitors could have sports garments repaired for free – the collaboration with Reju and Rematrix introduced dedicated collection bins for unusable apparel, which will now be transformed into high-quality recycled polyester for new sportswear products. Sustainability also played a central role in the Sustainability Hub project, created to offer retailers a dedicated space to gather information, exchange ideas, ask practical questions and engage with leading organizations in the field, transforming inspiration into actionable tools and solutions. Curated by GreenroomVoice, the hub hosted daily Round Table Workshops: open and interactive sessions focused on the key themes reshaping the outdoor industry.

OFFICIAL OUTDOOR PARTY BY POLARTEC

With the merger of OUTDOOR and ORBDAYS, Riva del Garda also welcomed the established closing-night format: the Official OUTDOOR PARTY by Polartec. Access to the event was granted through the purchase of the trade show’s official T-shirt. Inside an entire pavilion transformed into a Berlin-style nightclub, guests enjoyed a rich dinner followed by a bouldering contest featuring internationally renowned athletes and a DJ set by DJ Aladyn. With a total of 1,700 people who attended the event.

OUTDOOR & ORBDAYS 2027

The opening press conference also provided the opportunity to unveil the calendar for the next European Outdoor Week and trade show edition. The exhibition will maintain its successful three-day format, while shifting to a Monday start date (May 10–12). The event will be preceded by the Activation Days on May 8 and 9, while May 9 will once again host the Outdoor Media Day and the European Outdoor Awards ceremony. The Impact Summit will take place after the trade show, on May 12 and 13. Because in 2027 as well, the #placetobe for the outdoor and running industry will be Riva del Garda.

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