schedule

6th Annual Outdoor economy conference core schedule

The detailed 2024 Outdoor Economy Conference agenda is forthcoming, but this big-picture-view of this year’s conference schedule will make your planning a little easier.

More information on workshops and session details, including more information about the new Harvest Sessions on Thursday morning, will be sent out and posted to the website in early September.

If you have any questions about the event schedule, contact our team at [email protected].

6th Annual Conference Tracks: "Investing in the ecosystem"

People

Communities

Businesses

The Natural World

All tracks and sessions are all organized around the greater conference theme of Connecting the Ecosystem. Woven throughout these core Program Tracks are common threads, including:

Equity · Sustainability & Resiliency · Funding · Accessibility & Inclusivity · Workforce · Leadership · User Retention & Growth · Policy · Data & Trends

Time

events

speakers

Expo Booth Staff registration & packet pickup
Workshops & summit attendees registration & packet pick up

N/A

Workshops, summit & field visit attendees registration and packet pick up

N/A

Pre-Conference Workshops and Summits

Trail Planning & Development Workshop – Registration Opens Late Spring

Back by popular demand, this workshop will guide community leaders through the core elements of planning, designing, and implementing a trail development project. 

Summits (TBA)

Two major national outdoor industry leadership groups will host their 2023 membership gatherings bookending the Outdoor Economy Conference. If you represent a group in the outdoor industry, nonprofit, government, and/or community that wants to meet on Monday afternoon or Thursday morning, there are rooms available to reserve, ranging from an ~18 person Board Room, to both small and 200+ full-sized breakout rooms.

Field Visits – Registration Opens Late Spring

These outings combine hands-on outdoor adventures with learning insight into the inner workings of building an outdoor economy from expert facilitators that do this important work every day in Western North Carolina.

TBA

Attendee Conference + Reception Registration Open | Expo Hall Open

TBA

2024 Outdoor Economy Conference Opening Address + Networking Reception"

N/A

Breakout Session 1 (4 sessions, one for each Track)

  • Responsible Product Innovation: Retail Consumer Trends – What’s Driving Innovation?
 
  • Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Tourism: Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Tourism Models & Case Studies
 
  • Outdoor Driven Economic Development – The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable “Rural Development Toolkit”
 
  • Balancing Conservation and the Outdoor Economy – Business Driven Conservation Projects

Networking lunch

N/A

WNC Made By Mountains Excursions & Self Guided Experience

TBA

Leave No Trace Workshop

TBA

Advocating for the Outdoor Industry at the State & Federal Level

TBA

Expo Happy Hour

N/A

After-Hours Bowling + Arcade Party sponsored by the outdoor business alliance of WNC

Time

events

SPEAKERS

Expo Hall Breakfast;
Registration Opens

For those checking in on Tuesday morning:

Registration is in front of the Expo Hall on the first floor of the Cherokee Convention Center. Check in to get your conference pass, and ask our staff any questions.

Important reminder: we will not transfer any tickets after September 15th, and we will not re-assign conference badges on site.

Please make sure that all attendees, sponsors and exhibitor booth staff have their tickets secured under their correct name before the Conference begins.

N/A

Tuesday Morning Keynotes + Breakout Sessions

N/A

Networking Lunch in the Expo Hall

N/A

Afternoon Breakouts, Workshops + Excursions

TBA

Happy Hour Networking in the Expo Hall

TBA

Dinner On Your Own;
VIP/Sponsor/Speaker Reception

TBA

Tuesday Night Attendee Poolside After-party

TBA

Time

events

speakers

Expo Hall Breakfast;
Registration Opens

N/A

Wednesday Morning Keynotes + Breakout Sessions

N/A

Networking Lunch in the Expo Hall

TBA

Afternoon Breakouts, Workshops + Roundtables

TBA

Closing Ceremony in the Expo Hall

N/A

outdoor cocktail hour +
food trucks

N/A

Pre-Film Festival
Dessert Bar

Film Festival

Post-Film Fest Mingle, snacks, drinks, self-directed hangouts

Advocating for the Outdoor Industry at the State & Federal Level

TBA

Expo Happy Hour

N/A

evening Activities & Delegate Dinners

N/A

Time

events

speakers

coffee service

N/A

harvest sessions

N/A

Plenary Panel: What Do Outdoor Businesses Need?

TBA

BREAK

N/A

Breakout Session I1 (4 sessions, one for each Track)

  • Responsible Product Innovation – Sustainable Innovations Across the Product Development Process

 

  • Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Tourism – Visitor Use Management Data, Tools, & Techniques

 

  • Outdoor Driven Economic Development – Data and Trends on Why Economic Developers Should Be Looking at Outdoor Recreation to Grow Their Local Economies

 

  • Balancing Conservation and the Outdoor Economy – Community Development Driven Conservation & Outdoor Recreation Initiatives

Networking lunch

N/A

Breakout session III (4 sessions, one for each Track)

  • Responsible Product Innovation – Model Product Innovation Collaborations

 

  • Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Tourism – Effective Messaging Campaigns & Tools For Local Communities

 

  • Outdoor Driven Economic Development – Intersection of Outdoor Infrastructure & Economic Development

 

  • Balancing Conservation and the Outdoor Economy – Coalition Building and Impactful Partnerships

breakout sessions IV (4 sessions, one for each Track)

  • Responsible Product Innovation – Selling Quality, Innovation, and Sustainability

 

  • Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Tourism – Making the Outdoors a Welcome, Safe Space for All Folks

 

  • Outdoor Driven Economic Development – Innovative Funding Models to Pull Off Big Projects

 

  • Balancing Conservation and the Outdoor Economy – Funding Streams to Support Community Economic Development and Conservation

closing ceremony

TBA

WNC LOCAL FOOD & CRAFT BEVERAGE Tasting Happy Hour

N/A

evening festivities & afterparty

N/A

Monday, September 18

Tuesday, September 19

Wednesday, September 20

Thursday, September 21

venue and rooming info

harrah's cherokee conference center

777 Casino Dr. Cherokee, NC 28719

Lodging info