Not all show launches go off with a bang, but the inaugural edition of Overland Expo SoCal certainly did–in the form of record-breaking participation. Held March 15-16 at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif., the event is the newest edition to the Overland Expo B2C event series for do-it-yourself adventure travel enthusiasts. 

Overland Expo SoCal, which is owned and produced Emerald, shattered past launch event records, with 19,000 attendees, 303 exhibitors, and 84 hands-on classes, demos, and activities drawing adventure enthusiasts from across the U.S., particularly from the West and Pacific Northwest, according to Emerald officials. 

Backstory: Founded in 2009, the weekend event series attracts hundreds of exhibitors of adventure travel equipment, camping gear, bikes, vehicles, and services, and hosts hundreds of session hours of classes, including off-road driving techniques, adventure motorcycling, inspirational programs, roundtable discussions, demonstrations, and the Overland Film Festival.  

Context: The new Southern California event follows Emerald’s acquisition of the Overland Expo series in early 2023, marking the global show organizer’s first foray into the consumer lifestyle event space. 

Related: Emerald Forges Path Into the Consumer Show Space with Lodestone Events Acquisition. 

What they’re saying: “The turnout at Overland Expo SoCal far exceeded our expectations,” said Emerald Vice President of Consumer Events Jessica Kirchner. “With 70% of attendees reporting SoCal as their first Overland Expo, exhibitors were particularly excited about the opportunity to connect with a new overlanding audience, eager to learn and begin building out their vehicles for adventure. Across the board, exhibitors considered the event a tremendous success, with many already securing their spots for next year based on the incredible turnout, strong sales and high engagement.” 

A Festival-Like Atmosphere 

Offering something for both seasoned overlanders and newcomers, the show floor featured industry-leading brands, hands-on education, and immersive experiences, and attendees had access to a variety of immersive activities and expert-led sessions.  

Overland Expo veteran Chris Bradley shared insider tips in “How to Get the Most Out of Overland Expo,” drawing from his experience attending every show, while at the DIY Showcase and Creator Vehicle areas, the “My Perfect Rig” series gave attendees a firsthand look at incredible overland builds and gear setups. Food lovers gathered at the Backcountry & Culinary Pavilion, where Chef Corso led interactive cooking sessions such as “No More Deli Sandwiches,” inspiring attendees to take their camp meals to the next level.  

The weekend also included key networking and social events, such as the Women Who Wander Networking Event, which united female overlanders to share stories, tips, and inspiration. Meanwhile, Subaru kept the energy high with puppy adoptions and an in-booth party, where attendees had a chance to enjoy refreshments and check out Subaru’s latest adventure-ready vehicles. 

Enthusiastic Exhibitors and Engaged Attendees 

According to Emerald officials, among the show’s more than 300 exhibitors, several positive themes emerged:   

• A new and engaged audience: Exhibitors noticed a different demographic compared to other Overland Expos, with more families, beginners, and new consumers demonstrating an eagerness to learn. 
• High sales and product demand: Brands reported strong sales, with some selling out of inventory. Attendees were excited about new product launches, with some brands even taking preorders onsite. 
• High energy and robust turnout: Exhibitors were impressed by the large crowd of attendees and were energized by their enthusiasm and engagement in the festival-like atmosphere. 
• Location and timing: In addition to Southern California’s strong market potential and ideal location, the show’s spring timing served as an opportune time for exhibitors to connect with consumers before peak adventure season. 
• Valuable partnerships were forged: Exhibitors mentioned they found new partnership and brand collaboration opportunities that they hadn’t encountered at other events, and that the event provided a great platform for networking and brand exposure within the overlanding community. 

Serving an Untapped Demographic 

So why launch this Southern California event and why now? According to Lindsay Hubley, senior vice president, Consumer Events, Emerald, Southern California has long been a prime target for Overland Expo, as demographic data has consistently shown a significant portion of the show’s attendees and exhibitors come from California and neighboring states.  

“Historically, Overland Expo featured just two shows: one in Flagstaff, Arizona, serving the western U.S., and another in Virginia for the East,” Hubley explained. “As demand from our community continued to grow, we expanded into Colorado in 2021 and Oregon in 2022. With those two events now firmly established, we felt like the market was ready for another syndication of the Overland Expo brand and there was overwhelming call for it to be in California – and we’re excited to finally make that happen.” 

Hubley added that Emerald had originally anticipated the California show to draw around 200 brands and 10,000 attendees, so attracting the support of more than 300 brands and 19,000 attendees came as an unexpected but much-welcomed surprise.  

“The show’s proximity to major population centers like Los Angeles and Orange County played a key role [in high participation], especially since most of our other Overland Expo events are held in more remote, destination-style markets located two or more hours from a major metro area.” 

She continued, “The other interesting thing that we saw was these attendees were new. The marketing team has tapped into a brand-new database of potential destination event attendees with this launch. Since 2019, Overland Expo has continued to truly invest in the brand, launching digital content channels, hyper-driving its social reach and influence, and becoming the premier show for the overland and outdoor consumer markets. These attendees came to experience the show and to get into the overland market.” 

Looking Ahead 

Building on this year’s excitement and strong attendance, Overland Expo SoCal will return March 14-15, 2026, to the OC Fair & Event Center, featuring an expanded floorplan and new indoor pavilions showcasing product categories such as surf, paddle, hike/run, climb, bike, photography, and videography.  

Upcoming 2025 Overland Expo events include: 

• Overland Expo West: May 16-18, Flagstaff, Ariz. 
• Overland Expo PNW: June 27-29, Redmond, Ore. 
• Overland Expo Mountain West: August 22-24, Loveland, Colo. 
• Overland Expo East: October 3-5, Arrington, Va. 

Check out a recap video of 2025 Overland Expo SoCal here. 

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