Emerald Forges Path Into the Consumer Show Space With Lodestone Events Acquisition

January 24, 2023

Emerald has officially entered the B2C space with the recent acquisition of Lodestone Events, an event solutions company specializing in consumer lifestyle events and producers of the Overland Expo series of vehicle-based, adventure travel consumer shows. 

According to Emerald officials, the acquisition supports Emerald and Lodestone’s shared mission to connect buyers and sellers, and builds on Emerald’s decades of experience in outdoor recreation via its Outdoor Retailer trade shows, the largest global B2B events serving the outdoor and winter sports industry. The deal also bolsters Emerald’s strategic expansion into the consumer lifestyle events arena while strengthening the company’s position in high-growth markets. 

“Formally entering the B2C event space is paramount to Emerald’s corporate strategy of expanding into new and high-growth markets to accelerate top-line growth and unlock significant value for shareholders,” said Hervé Sedky, president and CEO of Emerald. “Adding a best-in-class consumer event series like Overland Expo demonstrates our successful implementation of this strategy and provides Emerald with talented leaders in this space, who together will enable us to continue to advance Emerald’s core services of live event connections, content and commerce.” 

All Lodestone employees will join the Emerald team, bringing their consumer event expertise in-house, with Founders Lindsay Hubley and Jessica Kirchner joining Emerald’s management team and continuing to lead the Overland Expo series.  

The team will also oversee Emerald’s previously announced Outdoor Adventure X show, the company’s new consumer lifestyle event for the outdoor recreation enthusiast, taking place June 17-18 at Snowbasin Resort in Huntsville, Utah, the weekend preceding the Outdoor Retailer Summer show at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on June 19-21. 

“Emerald and Lodestone Events have been working together for the past year to bring Outdoor Adventure X to market, and we look forward to building on this collaboration and creating even greater value for the entire outdoor industry ecosystem, from manufacturer to retailer, to consumer,” Sedky added.

Photo credit: John Allen
Photo credit: John Allen

According to Emerald officials, the Lodestone Events deal also represents its third acquisition within the last year of a company led by female founders, with MJBiz and Bulletin as the first and second. 

“We are passionate about gathering communities of enthusiasts to get trained, outfitted and inspired for their outdoor adventures, and are grateful to be partnering with Emerald, who are so strongly aligned with our business philosophy,” Hubley said. “We look forward to continuing to enhance the client and attendee event experience and 365-day digital content strategy with the Emerald team.”  

Held annually in Arizona, Oregon, Colorado and Virginia, the four Overland Expo weekend consumer events host hundreds of session hours of overland education alongside camping, a film festival, product demos and a public trade show featuring hundreds of brands selling products directly to consumers. In 2022, the show series drew 77,000 attendees and 1,300 exhibitors, with attendees participating in 1,700 session hours of classroom-style education, roundtable discussions and hands-on instruction across 1,380 classes. 

  

Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE, listen to our latest podcast HERE and engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram!

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Dallas already boasts 35,000 hotel rooms, award-winning global cuisine, and a walkable downtown. But we are just getting started. Visit Dallas is thrilled to announce that the city of Dallas is doubling down with a massive new convention center and entertainment district. Featuring 800,000 square feet of exhibit area, 260,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 170,000 square feet of ballroom. The center will connect business travelers with dining and shopping options in the popular Cedars District means more places to get down to business, and even more ways to unwind. “Dallas is already a great meetings and conventions destination, with the accessibility of two major airports, affordable labor, and an outstanding hotel product,” said D. Bradley Kent, Visit Dallas senior vice president and chief sales officer. “The new center and Convention Center District will enhance Dallas’ competitive position and are exactly what our customers’ need and have been asking for." What’s New – AT&T Discovery District Located in the heart of Downtown Dallas, this new district on the AT&T corporate campus is tailor-made for groups of all sizes. It boasts a multi-sensory experience, including outdoor event space, the AT&T Theater, and multiple dining outlets including JAXON Beer Garden and The Exchange, a bustling food hall. Hotels Coming Soon Names like the JW Marriott (Downtown), lnterContinental Dallas (Uptown), and Hotel Swexan (Uptown) are adding luxury amenities and bountiful event spaces. The projects will debut in 2023 and beyond. JW Marriott This new, 15-story, 283-room hotel will open in the heart of the city’s downtown Arts District this year. The property features a 25,000-square-foot grand ballroom, as well as a spa, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, and a rooftop pool deck and bar. InterContinental Dallas  Located in Cityplace Tower in Uptown, InterContinental Dallas will feature sweeping panoramic views of the Dallas skyline. Guests will enjoy spacious, high-end rooms and amenities, including more than 21,000 square feet of event space.   Hotel Swexan Hotel Swexan, a new, 22-story luxury property, is rising in Uptown’s Harwood District and will make its mark on the Dallas skyline. Opening this year, it is a sculptural building with cantilevered upper floors, as well as a 75-foot rooftop infinity-edge swimming pool and a hidden underground lounge.