New Outside Festival In Denver Celebrates Outdoor Sports For All

If South by Southwest and the Consumer Electronics Show had a baby that loved the outdoors, it would probably look something like the Outside Festival kicking off today in Denver, Colorado. Outside Interactive Inc., the publisher of Outside magazine, the City of Denver and State of Colorado, are betting big on the business of the outdoors with a brand new three-day festival.

The inaugural festival will take place May 31 – June 2 in Civic Center Park featuring outdoor brands showcasing and demoing the newest, most innovative outdoor gear, live music, film screenings and addresses by well-known athletes. From climbing and hiking to cycling and skiing, the festival will celebrate outdoor sports as well as everyday recreation.

“The outdoor industry has long lacked a major annual gathering where consumers, athletes, brands, creators, and filmmakers can come together in one place to network, debate ideas, develop policy, see new gear, and celebrate our collective passion for adventure,” said Robin Thurston, CEO of Outside. “Our industry has had B2B trade shows, but no event like SXSW
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where culture, community, and business come together.”

“The outdoors is our place of wonder and wisdom and inspiration and refuge and awe. This Festival celebrates the icons, the films, the books, and the experiences of our blue planet. I invite everyone to come be part of it all,” said record-breaking swimmer Diana Nyad, who is one of the speakers at Film & Ideas Summit portion of the weekend on Friday, May 31.

Other speakers include climbing activist and fashion model Quannah Chasinghorse, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Shaun White, deaf mountaineers Shayna Unger and Scott Lehmann, Senator John Hickenlooper and Senator Michael Bennet. The Film & Ideas Summit portion of the festival will also screen a variety of films from documentaries to adventure films over at the Denver Art Museum in partnership with the the Boulder International Film Festival, Telluride’s Mountainfilm Festival, and the Mountains of Color Film Festival.

Musical acts will take the stage all weekend, with Thundercat, Lettuce, and Say She She headlining the festival on Saturday, June 1, followed by Fleet Foxes, Andrew Bird, and The Heavy Heavy on Sunday, June 2. Several popular Colorado bands will also take the stage both days.

Outdoor enthusiasts will also be able to check out gear, including demos, editor recommendations and the latest from Outside Lab @ CU Denver, a state-of-the-art gear testing facility. Attendees will be able to take part in experiences that range from yoga and cold plunges to children’s activities.

Conor Hall, Director of Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Industry, said it was important for the festival to encourage kids and families to explore the outdoors, growing the next generation of outdoor athletes and enthusiasts.

“It’s one reason Civic Center Park offered such a great venue—it’s reachable. You don’t have to have a car to get there and we’re encouraging people to take public transportation. Kids under the age of 12 also enter free, and we’ve incorporated unique family-friendly activities and spaces. Curiosity Cruiser from the Museum of Nature and Science will offer a mobile wonderland to ignite young minds with hands-on exhibits, and a top-rope climbing wall will provide a safe and exciting challenge for young climbers. And for families, we’ve included a dedicated picnic zone and nursing tent.”

Another important piece of the event was accessibility and inclusivity. North Face is hosting a climbing wall complete with climbing competitions, and Adaptive Adventures is providing an accessible climbing experience.

Festival organizers say they hope the festival inspires and promotes outdoor recreation for both the health of people and the planet, while also creating more opportunities for access and inclusion and encouraging sustainable practices.

“We’ve curated our film series to highlight work by diverse athletes, adventurers, and storytellers, and all 21 films feature stories from communities that haven’t been heard from traditionally,” said Thurston. “We’ve also worked with community partners to provide access and transportation to the festival for young people from BIPOC and Indigenous communities around Denver. And last but not least, we have strong representation from LGBTQ+ creators and speakers as part of our commitment to celebrate Pride Month, which kicks off on Saturday.”

Denver was an obvious choice for the festival. Outdoor recreation contributes $62 billion to Colorado’s economy on average, which supports more than 500,000 state jobs, about 18% of Colorado’s workforce.

“Historically, Colorado’s outdoor industry has not had a voice that is relative to its size and importance,” said Hall. “With the Outside Festival, we are creating a gathering that unifies our voice and empowers the industry and community it represents.”

Hall says plans for the festival in 2025 and beyond are already taking shape.

“South by Southwest grew into the internationally known festival it is today over time. We know it will take more than a year to implement our full vision for the Outside Festival. We also believe there are long-term benefits to continuing the Festival, introducing more people to outdoor recreation and continuing to strengthen Colorado’s outdoor recreation industry.”

Asked how they will measure the success of the event, Thurston said they’ve already met or exceeded almost every goal they set.

“From a financial perspective, we achieved our sponsorship revenue target, which was very ambitious for a first-year event, and our ticket sales are closing strong. From an industry and community standpoint, we’ve had incredible response, with almost 150 brands and nonprofit partners participating in the Festival with booths, activations, performers, and demos throughout a dozen experience zones.”

Combined with more than 25 speakers, 20 filmmakers and two days of musical acts, Thurston is pleased with what they’ve put together. They’ll also be measuring attendee and sponsor satisfaction with follow-up surveys.

“We expect to continue growing the Outside Festival in downtown Denver for years to come,” said Thurston. “One of the areas we’re most excited to explore with our OREC partners is an expansion of the event into other regions of Colorado. There are so many parts of the state with world-class outdoor recreation opportunities, and we’d love to bring the Outside Festival model to those communities.”

“I have been really pleased to see how all the partners involved are working hard to launch an incredible event and plan for the future,” Hall said. “So get ready now for an even bigger second year in 2025.”