Outdoor Retailer (OR) announced in a “letter to the community” that the OR Summer Market, initially scheduled for June 23-25 in Denver, Colorado, had to be cancelled. Marisa Nicholson, senior vice president and show director of OR, wrote that the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 summer show was made “amidst growing concerns surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, and after having extensive conversations” with the people involved with the event. The reasons for cancellation include concern for the health of all participants, the declaration of a national emergency, recent federal measures that include travel restrictions for foreigners, and ”the resulting cancellations made by several partners.”
According to its announcement, Emerald Expositions, the owner of OR, investigated potential alternative dates for the show, but logistical issues as well as clear feedback from retailers, representatives and brands have compelled the company to cancel and not postpone the 2020 summer edition. The organizers are currently working on digital solutions and other tools to assist the industry. This may include supporting a go-to-market strategy for spring/summer 2021, strengthening the network between buyers and sellers, new digital opportunities to learn about new brands, products and retailers, digital workshops and expanded media and marketing tools.
OR has installed a Covid-19 resources page on its website with helpful information and news from partners, brands, retailers and the U.S. government to help the community deal with the crisis. The next Outdoor Retailer Summer Market is scheduled for June 15-17, 2021. Prior to OR’s announcement, the more focused Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, had said that would not meet for its spring Connect trade show, originally planned for June 12-15. Instead, the organization will introduce a collaborative digital framework to support the spring buying cycle in June.
The pandemic has also led to the cancellation of demo and media events that were scheduled to be held in Austria and Germany in June and July in the run-up to the Eurobike trade show. The fair is still due to take place in Friedrichshafen on Sept. 2-5, but its organizers have already a Plan B in mind that would make it happen at the end of November. A decision will be made in mid-May.
Meanwhile, the organizers of the PalleExpo watersports fair in Nuremberg, which was slated for Sept. 25-17, have cancelled it, announcing that the next edition will take place next year on Oct. 8-21. We have already reported on the cancellation of the OutDoor by Ispo trade show that was due to start in Munich at the end of June. No information has yet been given about the simultaenousthe persistent Covid-19 epidemic is leading to the cancellation or postponement of other trade shows in Europe. convention.
In Italy, the persistent Covid-19 epidemic has led to the cancellation or postponement of three important Italian fairs that cater in part to the sporting goods industry. Pitti Uomo, the menswear show that was going to take place in Florence on June 15-19, has been postponed to Sept. 2-4. Many sports brands exhibit at this fair, in the absence of a national sporting goods show in Italy.
Another big international shoe show focused on the medium-priced market, Expo Riva Schuh, whose summer edition was scheduled for June 13-16 at Riva del Garda near Verona, has been cancelled, and the organizers have decided to consult all the participants and stakeholders to study the option of holding its winter edition at the end of 2020 rather than in mid-January as usual.
While the fashion industry is questioning the current seasonal mode of its collections because of a lack of customers’ purchases this spring, the pressure on show organizers for earlier dates is intensifying. A similar orientation toward earlier dates has in fact been taken by the organizers of Mido, the big international eyewear show in Milan, who have decided to schedule its 50th edition for Feb. 6-8, 2021. Originally due to be held at the end of February, as usual, it had been postponed to the beginning of July, but it was cancelled on April 2 because of the pandemic.
The eyewear show is offering to exhibitors and buyers the possibility to interact through an internet platform, MIDO4U. Similar virtual services are being explored by the organizers of other shows.
The Berlin Fashion Week, scheduled for the end of June, is likely to be postponed to the end of July. The main show organizer, the Premium Group, says it has decided to wait for further developments before making a decision at the end of May. The Copenhagen Fashion Week is in principle postponed from June to the end of August, but there also, the picture should become clearer in May I
