More than 12,000 outdoor enthusiasts are expected to descend upon the NEC, Birmingham this weekend (19-20 March) for the first ever National Outdoor Expo, in partnership with Ordnance Survey. With famous faces including Ben Fogle, James Cracknell, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Iwan Thomas, Sabrina Pace-Humphreys, Julia Bradbury, Ed Stafford, Mario Rigby and Dwayne Fields and over 100 brands and interactive features for all abilities, it is set to be the ultimate active family day out.
Created for runners, campers, climbers, walkers and lovers of outdoor cooking, excursions, open water swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding, the event will provide the perfect opportunity to shop all the latest kit, gear, tech and travel at the beginning of the Outdoor season in the UK and will offer outdoor enthusiasts of all ages a safe, fun, interactive day out, giving the opportunity to try new things alongside industry experts, meet likeminded people, set new challenges and set themselves up for a year of unparalleled outdoor experiences.
Visitors will be able to shop their favourite brands, get the latest kit and tech, discuss their requirements with the experts and try before they buy. Top brands including Ordnance Survey, Whereabouts, Decathlon, adidas TERREX, Salomon, Vango, Red Paddle Co, Cotopaxi, Rumpl, Teva, 2XU, Mountain Hardware, Grayl, Earthwear, Knog, Fulfil Nutrition, Nomad Trailers and many more.
Speaker Ben Fogle commented: “The National Outdoor Expo will provide a great opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts to ignite that outdoor fire in their souls and prepare themselves for their next big adventure. I am looking forward to sharing my journey, hopefully inspiring people to think big and step outside of their comfort zone in 2022 and beyond. It is when we come together as a community that we really see what we are capable of and feel inspired by what others have achieved, I too am looking forward to meeting some incredible adventurers and being inspired by their stories.”
The show will host an abundance of exciting features including an Inspiration Stage and Outdoor Skills Theatre packed full of free content over the two days. The show will also feature a Climbing Wall with Montane X BMC, Travel Inspiration Centre with Whereabouts, Lakeside Paddlesports feature in partnership with Venture by Pyranha and a chance to give open water swimming a go on Pendigo lake with NOWCA. For those keen to try it, visitors can have a go at Paddleboarding with expert coaching sessions from Red Paddle Co. There is an Outdoor Kitchen with The Camping and Caravanning Club, Trail Running Zone with Decathlon and OS, Route Planning with OS, Bushcraft Zone with Wildway Bushcraft, Speed tent Challenge with Vango, Wildlife Pavillion with Actively Outdoors plus a special Director’s Cut film and Q&A with Kendal Mountain Festival. The team at The Outdoor Guide will be on hand to ensure that visitor’s outdoor accessibility needs are met with brands including All Terrain Wheelchairs, ICE trikes, Mountain Trikes and many more.
Esther Beal, Event Director at The National Outdoor Expo commented: “This show has been two years in the making and we are so excited that it is finally here. We have an incredible lineup that will appeal to many different outdoor enthusiasts and with the brands we have onboard and the features available this show is set to be one of our best. If you have been a fan of outdoor sports for years or have just picked it up recently, this is the show for you, we are catering for those looking to push their skillset to the next level and those who want to know how to get started. We hope you have a brilliant weekend.”
Tickets cost £10 pp and children go free, to get your ticket to the event visit https://nationaloutdoorexpo.seetickets.com/tour/national-outdoor-expo.
First ever National Outdoor Expo set to welcome thousands this weekend
