Outside reposted this
Wow... after taking a beat to think about the massive effort that went into producing the first ever Outside Festival, I can only think about the gratitude that I have for all of the unbelievably talented folks I am able to work with. The event was a smashing success, and will continue to be for years to come because of the monumental work that so many people put in. I am so damn proud of our team at Outside, Groundswell Experiential and all of our partners that worked so diligently for so long to make this event happen. Our goal in putting on events has always been to inspire people to #GetOutside, and in all of my years in the industry I have never seen so many people coming together to turn that dream into a reality. Onward to the next one!
Today we turn from producing the very first The Outside Festival toward reflection of an inspiring weekend that has forever changed the outdoor industry. We are so proud of the outcome, the hard work of our team/partners and our hundreds of colleagues at Outside who came together for this inaugural event that will forever shape the future of the outdoor space. As we begin to start putting together the words, stories and memories that recap these past few months...we turn to a handful of the feelings, sights and sounds of these past few days. #GetOutside via Forbes: "The Outside Festival is shaping up to be South by Southwest meets the Consumer Electronics Show for the outdoors." https://lnkd.in/eXcSKaaG via Axios: "The overarching vision is that we want to create the national gathering for the outdoor industry and people who love the outdoors," says Conor Hall, the state's outdoor recreation office director." https://lnkd.in/eBvy5-nj via The Denver Post: "The festival is designed for beginners and experts alike, with experiences and inspiration for climbers, hikers, cyclists, skiers, and the everyday recreationists." https://lnkd.in/eKJCP9hQ via Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper: "The Outside Festival began in a conference room at the Denver Art Museum with a smaller event catering to outdoor recreation industry professionals to talk about one of the main reasons the festival even exists: to position Colorado and Denver as the leader of a booming corner of the economy in a just and sustainable way." https://lnkd.in/eHEVgsw8 via 303 Magazine: "Timothy Wolfe, the director of the Colorado Tourism Office, described the festival as a “microcosm of Colorado.” “What you’ll see and experience in the next few days is what you’ll see happening throughout the state.” https://lnkd.in/etpST4MR via Outside: "Earlier in the day, he said, the attendees looked like hardcore outdoor enthusiasts. As the festival progressed, he said, the makeup evolved—younger and more diverse crowd added to the climbers, runners, and cyclists." https://lnkd.in/e7nstZMh via KUSA-TV, 9NEWS: Interview with Christopher Jerard https://lnkd.in/eXjcsfrt
Patrick Welby
1mo
Loved working with you, Colin! You’re the best!
Digital Innovation and Experience Strategy | AI, AR, 3D Gamification, Spacial Computing | Helping brands better engage with customers
1moCongrats Colin Barry! First year festivals are tough to produce. Kudos to you and your partners! Joe Lucchese