Switchback Spring, June 16-18, 2026 in New Orleans, LA
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Switchback at TRE, December 1-3, 2026 in San Antonio, TX
Connection drove innovation and strengthened the outdoor industry at Switchback Spring 2025, with intentional and engaging opportunities for networking and relationship building throughout the event.
From the Welcome Party to exhibit hall happy hours and a morning hike, below is a look back at the special events and features that took place in June 2025 in Nashville.
Welcome Party, located at Water’s Edge | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Hosted by Merrell and Outdoor Industry Association
Switchback Spring officially kicked off with a Welcome Party celebrating the debut of the event in Nashville. Attendees enjoyed food, drinks, live music, outdoor industry bingo, and plenty of opportunities to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. Delta riverboats were also available for tours, taking guests around the river flowing through the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.
The party was open to all: retailers, exhibitors, media, non-profit partners, and other industry members.
Tuesday, June 17: Day Two
Speaker Office Hours, located in the Networking Room (Ryman Studio AB, Level 0) and the Exhibit Hall
Attendees continued the learning by connecting directly with Switchback speakers during Office Hours, receiving candid advice and actionable insights tailored to their businesses.
Tuesday, June 17 | 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Networking Room
Tuesday, June 17 | 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Networking Room
Tuesday, June 17 from 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Wednesday, June 18 from 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Exhibit Hall
Holly Wiese, retail merchandising expert and Founder of 3 Dots Design, led Retail Refresh Sessions focused on improving store layout, visual merchandising, and customer experience.
These quick, high-impact consultations were limited to 10–15 minutes and designed to deliver focused, actionable takeaways.
Exhibit Hall Happy Hour brought attendees together on the trade show floor for drinks, snacks, and connections. Participating brands included:
“The Rock Fight” Live Podcast Recording, located in the Trailheads Theater | 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Attendees gathered for a live recording of The Rock Fight, featuring host Colin True, co-hosts Eoin Comerford and Shawnté Salabert, and Producer Dave, alongside special guests discussing key moments and themes from Switchback. Click here to listen to the episode: The Rock Fight Live At Switchback Spring 2025!
Morning Hike, located at Shelby Bottoms Greenway | 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Hosted by Merrell
Participants started the day with fresh air and a guided hike through one of Nashville’s local parks. After grabbing complimentary breakfast and coffee at the hotel, attendees took a shuttle to Shelby Bottoms Greenway, home to five miles of trails featuring river views, wildflowers, and wildlife. Guests were able to hike as a group or explore independently, with QR codes available for trail maps and park information.
Last Call in the Hall, located on the show floor | 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
The event wrapped up with Last Call in the Hall, a closing happy hour on the trade show floor celebrating the successful debut of Switchback Spring with snacks, drinks, and good vibes.
The Trailheads Theater served as an open, engaging space on the exhibit hall floor (Booth 455), featuring educational presentations and panels led by brands, partner organizations, and industry experts. Preview a few sessions:
Tuesday, June 17
Wednesday, June 18
Stay tuned as the Conference Team curates the 2026 Trailhead Theater education lineup.
Designed in partnership with 3 Dots Design, the Retail Innovation Lab showcased versatile merchandising displays that inspired retailers to present products in creative, engaging ways. Participating brands included:
The Campground featured a hands-on tent display in the exhibit hall, allowing retailers to explore tent functionality, size, and materials in a real-world context. Participating brands included:
Located near the exhibit hall entrance, the Product Showcase highlighted new products from outdoor brands, encouraging attendees to explore innovations and connect directly with exhibiting companies. Participating brands included:
The Outdoor Recreation Archive joined Switchback Spring 2025, offering attendees the opportunity to engage with historical outdoor industry materials throughout the event. Guests explored catalogs, photographs, periodicals, and documents chronicling the people, products, and brands that shaped the outdoor industry.
Learn more about Outdoor Recreation Archive: In 2017, Utah State University Special Collections and Archives partnered with the College of Agriculture and applies Science’s Outdoor Product Design and Development program to create a historical collection of books, catalogs, periodicals, photographs, and manuscripts documenting the history of outdoor gear. Known as the Outdoor Recreation Archive, its mission is to document the history of the people, products, and brands of the outdoor industry through unpublished documents, published materials, and audio/visual materials. The organization strives to make those materials widely accessible to the public, including students, academics, enthusiasts, industry professionals (including marketing and design), and others with interest in the history of outdoor gear.
The Outdoor Recreation Archive includes:
Switchback Official Event Partner
