helene impact announcement

Due to the catastrophic devastation Hurricane Helene has wrought in Western North Carolina and the surrounding region, our team has made the difficult decision to postpone the Conference until September 15-18, 2025.

The health, safety, and comfort of our attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and staff (and all of their families and loved ones) is our chief priority; we feel very lucky to say that all of our team members and their families have checked in as safe, and while some have lost homes or vehicles, we were all fortunate enough to avoid the worst possible outcomes. Some of our friends were not so lucky.

We will be dedicating the coming months to helping Western North Carolina build back stronger and more resilient. This includes significant work within our partner organizations – Mountain BizWorks, the MADE X MTNS Partnership, the NC Outdoor Recreation Economy Office, and the Outdoor Business Alliance of WNC – and with our outdoor recreation communities.

We know that small businesses are the backbone of our local outdoor economies. Through support from the Golden LEAF Foundation, Mountain BizWorks has launched the WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund. This rapid recovery loan program will provide loans to eligible businesses for up to $100,000, with very low interest (1%), and payments (interest only) for the first year, helping to close the gap between when the disaster strikes and when federal loans, insurance payouts, and other disaster relief funds are approved.

Additional resources for nonprofits, businesses, and homeowners can be found on Mountain BizWorks’ website.

You can donate to support WNC small business Helene recovery through Mountain BizWorks, and donate to support WNC’s outdoor industry Helene recovery through the Outdoor Business Alliance of WNC. Please share these opportunities within your local networks and let us know if you have any questions.

Our core promise as an event is to provide an exceptional and impactful experience for everyone who attends, providing useful information, inspiration, and powerful connections in a way that enables broad and meaningful participation from all parts of the outdoor economy. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being an essential part of that work.

Everyone has the option to keep their registrations; and we would love to see you join us next September. Otherwise, you may contact [email protected] via email to receive a full refund. Please be patient with us as we process refunds.

We are tremendously grateful to our amazing sponsors, speakers, and exhibitors for being so understanding and supportive during this transition, and to our partners at the Cherokee Convention Center, who have been so gracious and accommodating in helping us work through this tough decision.

October is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for outdoor tourism in WNC, and those communities which *are* able to host folks in WNC very much need your support. That said, please check out Visit NC and Ready NC to ensure a safe & enjoyable trip to the region.

We’ll be sharing more information in the coming weeks about other ways to support the many outdoor communities and businesses in our region who have months or years of rebuilding ahead of them.

Keep your eyes on your inbox for more news and opportunities from us in the weeks & months to come, and we hope you and yours are safe and well.

Donate to Support WNC Small Business Helene Recovery