The upcoming Maine Outdoor Economy Summit is designed to be a meeting ground for sharing ideas and actions across the industry.
Speakers and breakout sessions will focus on professional growth, practical tools for businesses and “big-picture thinking around economic resilience, workforce, access and equity,” according to a news release.
The event is slated for Jan. 21-23 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.
Anyone involved in shaping the state’s outdoor economy is encouraged to attend, including business leaders, policy makers, educators, developers and community organizers.
The three-day event will feature eight keynote speakers, including Robin Thurston, CEO of Outside Interactive Inc.; Kelly Davis, director of research for the Outdoor Industry Association; and Carrie Besnette Hauser, CEO and president of the Trust for Public Land.
Amanda Rector, the Maine state economist, will also be featured.
Some of the 15 breakout sessions scheduled include: Navigating trade barriers, quantifying the cultural and economic value of outdoor recreation networks, strategies for growth and industry trends.
Jenny Kordick, executive director of Maine Outdoor Brands, will be one of the breakout session speakers.
A Maine outdoor brand’s product showcase will be set up and there will be a film festival and an industry awards presentation.
And while the summit will be largely conducted indoors at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, there are outdoor activities and excursions on the agenda. Attendees can tour Brant & Cochran’s axe manufacturing facility in South Portland, take a sauna, or indulge in a plunge into Casco Bay, go cross-country skiing, take a winter snowshoe hike, or play disc golf.
A session of ice safety training with Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Warden Service is also an option.
The full event schedule and registration information can be viewed on the Maine Outdoor Economy Summit website.
