Outdoor Media Summit is the professional conference for media and marketers in outdoor. For two and a half days, top outdoor brands and media participate in keynotes, breakout sessions and group activities to stay ahead of the trends in digital publishing.

OMS is in its fifth year and this year’s conference will take place September 27-29, 2021 at The Ridgeline Hotel in Estes Park, CO.

The breakdown has historically been roughly 65/35 media/brands.

On the Media side, it’s usually self-assigning editors of digital publications—but we also get a fair amount of print folks as well as podcasts, vlogs, and influencers. Click Previous Attendees for a full list of previous media publications who have attended.

On the Brand side, it is usually marketing folks at outdoor brands. We always get a couple PR and marketing agencies, DMOs and digital platforms, but the bulk of the brand side is internal marketing folks at brands.

This year we will cap the show off at 150. We’ve capped the show every year and have sold out every year (sometimes months before the event). We’d love to grow the show, but not at the expense of quality. And selling out early is one way we make sure we have enough time to prepare!

We will sell out again in 2021, so get in early before we sell out!

It depends on if you’re a Media or Brand. Media usually comes out for the education. Brands usually come out for a combination of education and brand awareness. Both Brands and Media enjoy the networking component.

Education is how we built our reputation. We have very strict guidelines when it comes to sessions. We have a “no bs presentations allowed” philosophy, where we vet sessions for sales pitches and intro-level/high-level talks. Our goal with content is to make every session the best session that an attendee has ever sat in. We want more people to say things like “that’s the best session I’ve ever sat in, ever,” which is something we frequently hear. We want to arm you with what you need to know in digital publishing to stay ahead of the pack.

Then there is the brand awareness side of things. Many brands come out because they want social media exposure during the show. One year, we trended on Facebook (back when there was a Trending box in the top right corner of Facebook) for the #jacksonhole because so many top media and brands were hashtagging it all at once. Other brands are looking for press exposure. We’ve had brands get written up in Men’s Journal, Women’s Running, Gear Junkie, Canoe and Kayak, Huffington Post, local TV affiliates, newspapers, and all sorts of blogs and podcasts as a result of activations from our show.

Finally, there’s the networking component. Brands and Media are two audiences that naturally want to meet each other. But instead of having a hundred, 10-minute shallow meetings, we want to create an environment where you can have ten, 100-minute deep meetings. So the networking events are designed to encourage collaboration and partnerships so you can close deals, at the show.

There are three formats of content at Outdoor Media Summit. First is the Keynote format, which entails breakfast and lunch keynotes on Day 2 and Day 3, as well as short introductions at happy hours. These are less technical, higher level, and focus on trends in digital publishing or the outdoor industry in general.

Second is the Breakout Session formats. Breakout sessions are “in the weeds” so to speak. They are highly technical and most sessions are intermediate to advanced. We find that our audience is technically sophisticated and want deeper “how-to” content.

The third format is Group Activities, which include the opening night networking event, Breakfast with Brands, Scavenger Hunt, and Outdoor Media Awards. These events are designed to facilitate meaningful business discussions while getting outside and having fun. We break people into groups or pair people up, and MC/moderate the conversations to encourage partnerships and collaborations.

We’ve seen brands and media negotiate five-figure deals at the show. And that’s how we’ve designed the programming—we want to encourage collaborations and partnerships between brands and media. While not every partnership ends up in dollars exchanging hands, it’s certainly not uncommon at OMS.

All the topics will fall under the same three tracks from years past: Content Creation, Content Amplification, and Content Monetization. In layman’s terms: creating content, driving traffic/growing followings, and making money.

New for this year is a concept we’re introducing called Audiences. There are two overarching audiences: Media and Brands (same two audiences we’ve had every year).

Within Media, we are distinguishing between Podcaster, Vlogger, Social Influencer, Freelancer (photo, video or text), Editor.

Within Brand, we are distinguishing between Brand Marketers, DMO, PR / Marketing Agencies, and Digital Platforms.

Each talk will be tagged with the relevant audience so you’ll know if it’s a good fit for you.

As always, all our breakout sessions include one of these three components: a How-To, a list of tips or a list of tools. We encourage speakers to do screen shares (to show the audience where to click) and all speakers are required to click a checkbox in their speaker agreement that says that they are willing to “give up their secrets.”

We will be recording each session and they will be available after the conference as a part of every conference pass. They will also be available for purchase if you weren’t able to get to the show this year.

Bring your A GAME for sure. No pitches, plugs or promotions here. We want the real stuff – the secrets, tips and techniques that prove you’re the expert in your field. Show us your stuff here! Speaker Application

UPDATE: Due to rescheduling due to Covid-19 some of the following details may change. Stay tuned for updates!

The conference will run from September 27-29, 2021 (Monday – Wednesday). The Opening Reception starts at 4 PM on Monday the 27th (taking place in Denver – Read more about that below) and the last session will end at 5 PM on Wednesday the 29th in Estes Park.

There are pre- and post-press trips that happen on the 26th and 30th, but those are separate events that are invite-only based on the sponsors. While the show officially ends on Thursday at 5 PM, each year, we do a post-conference activity for folks who stick around, and that’s open to everyone.

We encourage you to stick around and explore for a day or two! Just because you didn’t get invited on a press trip (usually the criteria for these trips are pretty specific—the sponsor wants only Bike media or only podcasts) doesn’t mean you can’t pull a group together and do something fun! The Outdoor Media Summit Past Present and Future Attendees Facebook Group is a great place to organize something informal.

Flying in early for the Summit? We’ll be ready for you. Take the light rail from DIA into downtown Denver where one of our partners will have office space available for you to chill and work. There will be wifi and work stations where you can crank out some last minute emails before the other delegates arrive. Then we’ll have a reception, perhaps show the lines of a few of our gear partners, and finally, board coach buses for a networking ride to Estes Park!

Our Opening Reception will be from 4pm-7pm at BOA Headquarters in Denver. BOA is located at 3575 Ringsby Ct Unit 200, Denver, CO 80216

We are staying at The Ridgeline Hotel – An Ascend Hotel Collection. 101 S St Vrain Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517

We’re STOKED to announce that we will be at The Ridgeline Hotel, which is right in downtown Estes Park, walking distance to the bike park, lake, headwaters of the Big Thompson, climbing wall and just minutes outside of Rocky Mountain National Park. Learn more

The Opening Reception and Scavenger Hunt have historically happened outside of the conference center. Stay tuned for more info on specific events.

This booze fueled chaotic competition is one of the quickest ways to hit all of the touristy hotspots in Estes Park in the least amount of time possible. Attendees split up into teams and scatter throughout town, hitting stations where High Intelligence Tasks (or HITs) await your crew. You’ll collaborate with your newly formed teammates to accomplish these HITs and compete for prizes while also creating content that you can potentially use for your brand/publication’s social handles.

That’s totally up to you. If the content makes sense for your audience, push it out there, if it doesn’t, don’t do something that’ll make you feel fake. That said, we’ll be hitting some beautiful locations in Estes Park so likely you’ll find something that is worth creating content around!

There are no official conference activities within RMNP, but if you’d like to stay an extra day before or after OMS to check it out, let us know. We have a small block of rooms at our group rate for 9/26 & 9/29 at the Ridgeline. Also, be aware that Rocky Mountain National Park currently requires a timed-entry ticket to get into the park. More details about that here: Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Everyone will convene at the Opening Reception at BOA Headquarters in Denver between 4-7pm. An easy option to get to BOA is to ride the RTD Train from the airport to the 38th – Blake stop. BOA is located just across the river (0.8 miles) from that stop.  Afterward, we will be traveling together in private shuttle busses to Estes Park. If you can’t make the Opening Reception, we would recommend renting a car, getting an Uber, or finding a ride through our facebook group and meeting us in Estes Park. If all else fails, the Estes Park Shuttle is available from Denver Airport to Estes Park for $55 one-way. At the conclusion of Outdoor Media Summit on Wed 9/29, busses will depart from The Ridgeline at 4:00pm, 4:30pm & 5:00pm.  

We suggest DIA (Denver). We’re starting everything in Denver, from hosting the Opening Reception to shuttles leaving for Estes Park. If you fly into anywhere else, it will be up to you to get to either Denver or Estes Park.

Don’t worry ‘bout that. Travel in town is on Estes Park (they stepped HUGE on this BTW!). But be prepared to walk roughly 5 miles, at elevation during the scavenger hunt. And if that’s not going to work, no worries—just let us know and we’ll figure it out with you.

Our biggest priority for rescheduling has been safety and preserving the best of OMS. In conversations with attendees and sponsors, we were encouraged not to rush back too quickly if it meant settling for a sub-par event.

With that in mind, Outdoor Media Summit 2021 has officially been rescheduled for September 27-29 at The Ridgeline Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. The latest forecasts indicate that by September an increasing majority of us will be starting to feel confident traveling and interacting once again.

Of course health & safety is our #1 concern, which means we will be following the most up-to-date guidelines for the state of Colorado, which you can find here. Our hotel partner, The Ridgeline will also be practicing a full resume of protocols that will ensure that everyone will be able to stay safe and healthy.

Your rate will depend on whether you are a media or non-media.

Media: $599 for Conference + Hotel Ticket

Media: $349 for Conference Only Ticket

Marketer: $1099 for Conference + Hotel Ticket

Marketer: $899 for Conference Only Ticket

Buy Tickets

Absolutely, but you’ll miss out on some of the best parts of the show—namely the conversations that happen after hours. OMS will likely be the only event at the hotel, so pretty much everyone you bump into is going to be a show attendee. Plus we’re offering below-market hotel rates, so you’re unlikely to find anything cheaper in town. At the end of the day it’s up to you but to get the full experience, our recommendation is to stick with the Hotel + Conference badge.

Nothing from us. But you may want to bring your wallet if you want extra drinks after happy hours, or dinner after the conference ends on Day 3. Other than that, the conference is rather all-inclusive.

We’re not. The average cost per attendee is around $650-$700 per person (for six meals, two nights at a spectacular hotel, happy hours, shuttles, cost of speakers, event space, A/V rentals, programs, marketing materials, and hired hands). The event has not been profitable over the last four years, but we’re creating something special and unique, so it’s worthwhile.

This year, Estes Park has stepped up HUGE and made the event even more affordable. So yes, we depend on our brand partners to make the event possible and we look forward to your partnership!

For Conference + Hotel, 100% refund minus credit card fees by July 12, 2021 and no refunds after that. For Conference Only tickets, 100% refund minus credit card fees until July 26, 2021, after that, 50% refund.

If an emergency comes up, let us know. We’ll work with you.

September in Estes Park means the end of summer, so dress warm and be prepared for precipitation! If it rains during the scavenger hunt, be prepared to walk outside for a couple of hours and get a little wet (only our crowd can appreciate the fun in that!). Warm socks, layers, waterproof shell. You’ve been skiing—you know the drill.

Business cards, underwear, pants — general conference stuff. One thing to note—this year we are focusing on Zero Waste and are asking the hotel not to stock single-use plastic bottles of shampoo and soaps in bathrooms. So bring your own soap! There will be soap at check-in for folks who didn’t bring it, but it’s something we’re trying.

Go to the Award Ceremony Nominations page. If you submit multiple applications for the same person, it does not increase their chance of winning. Our committee will carefully pour over the recommendations to choose the winners.

Yes.

There is a committee that handles the selection of the OMAs.

2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners and 2 Happy Hours are included.

We will have chef-prepared vegetarian and vegan options! If you have any other requirements, let us know and we will try our best to accommodate. Contact Us