Get in Gear Festival
By Emma Castleberry
The Outdoor Business Alliance’s 10th Annual Get in Gear Festival (GIGF) will take place on Saturday, April 26, from 12—5 p.m. at the Adventure Center of Asheville. For a decade, this festival has brought together outdoor enthusiasts, local businesses and industry leaders, strengthening the region’s reputation as a premier hub for outdoor adventure and innovation.
Get in Gear Festival
“GIGF was originally intended to showcase local outdoor brands to the locals and bring awareness to buying local,” says Dorene O’Malley, interim executive director of the Outdoor Business Alliance. “It is still rooted in the same premise; only now the number of brands have grown and we liken ourselves as the Outdoor Industry Hub of the East.”
For participating businesses, the event is as much about connection as it is about commerce. “Participating in GIGF has been a fantastic opportunity for ENO to connect with our local outdoor community and reinforce that we are a proud WNC brand,” said Anna Rawlins, marketing director at Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO). “The festival has helped increase our visibility both locally and regionally, allowing us to engage directly with outdoor enthusiasts who share our passion for adventure and relaxation.”
Get in Gear Festival
The festival’s interactive nature allows attendees to truly experience the products and services on display by testing new gear and engaging in live demonstrations. “Currently, GIGF is the only event that brings together the wide variety of outdoor brands in WNC,” says Austin Bankert, founder of Cognative MTB. “This presents an amazing opportunity for the communities here to interact with these brands and experience their products and services firsthand.”
The heart of GIGF lies in its ability to bring people together, not just as consumers or industry professionals, but as a community bonded by a love for WNC’s incredible natural spaces. “Events like this solidify WNC’s place on the map as a premier hub for outdoor industry leadership and innovation,” says O’Malley. “It helps us to foster connections, cultivate community and collaborate with one another—things that are always happening behind the scenes in our local outdoor community, but GIGF brings this front and center.”
The Adventure Center of Asheville is located at 85 Expo Drive, Asheville. The Get in Gear Festival is free to attend and open to the public. Learn more at OutdoorBusinessAlliance.org.
