“Think of it as a demo weekend where we provide the food and entertainment.”
So, in case you hadn’t heard, there’s a new, quasi-trade show developing in the hills north of San Francisco (actually it has been gaining steam after several events in locations like Austin, Texas and Joshua Tree and Mammoth, Calif.) “Outpost is still pretty young, we’re a little under two years old,” says Outposts co-creator Jeff Wolfe. And we say quasi because it’s not really a full-on trade show. Or a place where media congregates to descend upon brands. Or even a big happy campout. It’s all that, and we’ll see if it turns into a whole lot more, thanks to the drive and innovation of Wolfe and his team.
This year’s Outpost is upon us, this weekend, as a matter of fact, September 7-9 at a place called Camp, Navarro (more on that later) where food, demos (including yoga, mountain biking, and moto) meet music and the tried and true custom of relationship building at trade shows. Only with Outpost, it’ll happen in the woods. Here are five quick reasons I’m heading north this weekend.
Location
Come on. Winding three and a half hours through the mountains north of San Francisco, the road itself may be as magical as the destination as it parallels patches of farmland and vineyards, traverses a cathedral of redwoods, and chases the Navarro River to the sea. Looking at the forecast, I’ll be packing few boards for the drive up the coast to Camp Navarro. “It’s a beautiful property, an old boy scout camp purchased and renovated by a guy named Dan Braun,” says Wolfe. “But I don’t think the venue defines us. I think it’s just being outdoors, something special happens and people tend to let their hair down.”
The Outpost Trade Show is a camping-based event.
Camp Style
Like he said: any excuse to go camping along the California coast, right? Nothing beats meeting new people in an outdoor environment. The event will be filled with outdoorsy people, music lovers, foodies, brand representatives, and media influencers. Lots of good energy and good vibes all while enjoying the great outdoors. “Think of it as a demo day but a demo weekend, where everyone stays on the property and we provide the food and entertainment,” adds Wolfe.
Workshops and Panel Discussions
Interact and hear from industry experts during various workshops and panel discussions throughout the weekend. There’s a presentation on falconry (you really can’t try that at home) yoga workshops, mountain bike and motorcycle demos, cooking workshops, cocktail-making workshops (there’s no excuse not to imbibe) and more. I personally want to check out the panel on the future of our mountain towns.
Mostly, the Outpost is about chilling
Food, Drink, Music
That’s all you really need. All gourmet meals and open bar provided….all weekend! You can taste new spirits, wines, and beers with musical performances by Mansionair and Bayonne.
Unplug
Seriously. Just get away, people. With all of these insane activities and offerings during the show, at its roots, this is still just a camping weekend-time for you to unplug and hit the refresh button. That’s what I’ll be doing.
Buy tickets and find out more about Outpost, here.
