2024 Gateway Outdoor Summit

The Gateway Outdoor Summit is our region’s opportunity to celebrate what we’ve achieved in outdoor recreation, imagine what’s possible, and begin the conversation to building a truly exciting outdoor economy and ecosystem here.

This forward-looking event is part of an expanded Gateway Outdoor Expo weekend.

The keynote speaker will be Lesford Duncan, Executive Director of the Outdoor Foundation, who will discuss how strategic initiatives, like Thrive Outside, are breaking down barriers, promoting inclusivity and new ways of engaging outdoors, and fostering a love for nature across diverse communities. Whether you’re a retailer, outfitter, outdoor brand, community-based organization, or outdoor enthusiast passionate about connecting people to planet, this keynote will equip you with actionable insights and inspire you to make a meaningful impact in the world of outdoor adventure.

A preliminary list of sessions to be held at the Gateway Outdoor Summit include:

1:00 – 1:10 p.m.

Summit open and schedule overview

1:10 – 1:20 p.m.

Introduction and sponsor recognition

1:20 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.

Driving Outdoor Diversity: Thrive Outside Network Panel

Featuring local and national representatives from the Outdoor Foundation’s Thrive Outside Initiative, this panel will discuss ways to create a more inclusive and accessible outdoor culture for all. Topics covered will include network building, collective impact, best practices and tactics, repeat and reinforcing experiences, and Thrive Outside’s vision for the future.

2:10 p.m. – 3:10 p.m.

Blazing Trails That Will Change Outdoor Community and Culture

Highlighting four major trail projects currently under development that are poised to change the face of outdoor recreation in our city and state. These include:

• Brickline Greenway – This urban greenway is a network of accessible paths and aspires to become part of St. Louisans’ everyday experience, connecting them to their parks, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, civic and cultural institutions, and new spaces along the way.
• Dardenne Creek Blueway – The Dardenne Creek Blueway is an all-natural water recreation trail located in St. Charles County designed for people to explore nature and appreciate this scenic waterway. The five-phase plan will total approximately 19 miles once complete.
• Ozark Trail – Located in the diverse and scenic Missouri Ozarks, the Ozark Trail consists of more than 430 miles, divided into (mostly) linked sections. But work still exists to make the natural surface route into one of the country’s top hiking, biking, and riding destinations.
• Rock Island Trail – The Rock Island Trail is a “rails-to-trails” crushed limestone path that will stretch more than 200 miles across the state of Missouri. By intersecting the Katy Trail on both the western and eastern sides of the state, the interconnected system will form a 450-mile loop.

Representatives from each trail project will provide an overview and status update, and then will stick around for a moderated Q&A session.

3:10 p.m. – 4:05 p.m.

Big Ideas for Outdoor Recreation in the Great Middle West

This session will discuss the future of outdoor recreation in our region and attempt to answer the question: What do we want and how do we get there? Our panel of outdoor industry experts will consider opportunities such as creating Missouri and Illinois offices of outdoor recreation, protecting and improving endangered waterways, building a vital outdoor economy and ecosystem, capitalizing on the mountain biking boom, and more.

4:05 p.m. – 4: 50 p.m.

Trailblazing Together: Transforming the Landscape of Outdoor Recreation

Keynote speech by Lesford Duncan, Executive Director of the Outdoor Foundation.

4:50 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Final message and Summit close

The Gateway Outdoor Summit will be followed by a VIP/Vendor Party from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with heavy hors d'oeuvres, beverages, and entertainment. All summit attendees are invited to stay and socialize at the party.

For more information or questions about this event contact Brad Kovach at [email protected].

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

St. Charles Convention Center, 1 Convention Center Boulevard, Saint Charles, United States