FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

For more information contact:
Todd Elsworth, Recreation Northwest
360.739.8458

Media Assets
Recreation Northwest EXPO photos

Recreation Northwest EXPO offers Free Demos, Clinics and Door Prizes on Saturday, Feb. 25th

BELLINGHAM, WA (Jan. 12, 2017) – The Recreation Northwest EXPO is ready to deliver fun for free to the public- for the fourth year. With plenty of exhibitors to choose from, the EXPO is your opportunity to connect with leaders in the outdoor recreation community at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in Fairhaven on Saturday, February 25th from 1:00pm – 6:00pm.

The exhibitors will represent Washington state’s recreation community in the general categories of Gear & Equipment; Outdoor Retailers; Guides, Outfitters & Coaches; Health & Wellness; Stewardship & Outdoor Activity; Races & Events; Public Land Managers; and Recreation Media.

As a sample, but not in it’s entirety, the list of Gear & Equipment exhibitors includes start-ups like Swift Industries and Trail Boss to larger, more recognized international brands like SMC, NuCanoe and Gear Aid; Retailers offer specialities like Kite-Paddle-Surf, Fairhaven Runners, Fanatik Bike, Terrain Gym and Backcountry Essentials to the iconic Northwest brand of REI; Guides include the range from Mt. Baker Mountain Guides and NOLS to the American Alpine Institute; Health & Wellness professionals from Fit School, YMCA and other specialties; Stewardship & Outdoor Activity groups will represent some of the larger statewide efforts of Washington Trails Association, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, North Cascades Institute and localized efforts of Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition, Community Boating Center and others; Races & Events will have regional representatives from North Olympic Discovery Marathon, Peninsula Adventure Sports, Ragnar Events and local favorites like Bellingham Traverse, Ski to Sea and Quest Adventure Races; Public Land Managers will be onsite sharing their successes in their programs and parks from the National Park Service and Every Kid in a Park, Washington State Department of Natural Resources as well as our local landowners of the city, county and port; Recreation Media companies include Mount Baker Experience, Adventures NW and Outdoors NW magazines.

See the complete list 2017 EXPO Exhibitors for the full story.

“As a non-profit organization, offering this free for the public event meets our mission of bringing people together to enjoy, preserve and improve the places where we play,” iterates Todd Elsworth, co-Executive Director, Recreation Northwest. “Working with our partners, sponsors and exhibitors we are able to provide this as a free experience for the greater community. We have a full day of cool clinics, insightful demonstrations and great people to connect with at the Expo this year. Everybody will leave with a door prize, expanded outdoor knowledge and some new friends.”

The event website, RecreationNWExpo.com, provides the updated schedule of EXPO Demos and Clinics offered throughout the day. Demos and clinics will be hosted on the ground floor next to StrEAT Food and the Boundary Bay beer station. The demos/clinics will teach you how to set up your kayak for fishing, Avalanche awareness for snowshoeing, gearing up for snow camping, 5 easy exercises to maximize performance, an introduction to bicycle camping and much more! In-booth demos will also run concurrently throughout the day’s events, make sure to visit all the booths.

Door prizes will be yours to win as well. Check out the complete list of EXPO Door Prizes and sign up ahead of time to win. Prizes include entries into the Races & Events for marathons, cycling, multi-sport, and adventure races; Outdoor products and accessories; and fun Experiences to help you get outside and enjoy yourself from the Expo exhibitors.

Special guest, Dinger, the Bellingham Bells mascot, will be on-site from 3-4pm to say hi to the kids- big and small! Also for your entertainment, SMC (Seattle Manufacturing Co.) and AAI (American Alpine Institute) will be showing off rigging and rescue techniques inside the venue- that is certain to wow and amaze the crowds.

Recreation Northwest EXPO
Bellingham Cruise Terminal
Bellingham, WA
Saturday, February 25, 2017

HIGHLIGHTS

• EXPO Exhibitor categories: Gear & Equipment; Outdoor Retailers; Guides, Outfitters & Coaches; Health & Wellness; Stewardship & Outdoor Activity; Races & Events; Public Land Managers; and Recreation Media.
• Free Event for the Public
• Demonstrations and Clinics scheduled
• Door prizes available for all who enter
• Dinger, the Bellingham Bells mascot, will be on-site from 3:00 – 4:00pm
• SMC & AAI will be showing off rigging and rescue techniques

QUOTES

Todd Elsworth, co-Executive Director, Recreation Northwest

As a non-profit organization, offering this free for the public event meets our mission of bringing people together to enjoy, preserve and improve the places where we play. Working with our partners, sponsors and exhibitors we are able to provide this as a free experience for the greater community. We have a full day of cool clinics, different demonstrations and great people to connect with at the Expo this year.  Everybody will leave with a door prize, outdoor insights and some new friends.”

About Recreation Northwest

Recreation Northwest is a Bellingham, Washington–based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting outdoor recreation and bringing people together to enjoy, preserve and improve the places where we play. The strategies to fulfill our mission are through Stewardship, Education and Fun.  Stewardship of Fairhaven Park- facilitating collaboration between outdoor enthusiasts, local governments, businesses and individual landowners to improve local trail networks, provide direct service to maintain local parks and develop a sense of pride and ownership; Education highlighting the importance of outdoor recreation to our local economy and the value open space holds for our community health; Fun with our multi-sport races and events getting adults and children outside to be active, build community and enjoy our trails, public parks and open water.

For more information, visit RecreationNorthwest.org.

Relevant EXPO links:

2017 EXPO Exhibitors

EXPO Demos and Clinics

EXPO Door Prizes

2017 Recreation Northwest Event Dates

Friday, February 24th Outdoor Recreation Summit

Saturday, February 25th Recreation Northwest EXPO

Saturday, May 13th Kulshan Quest Adventure Race

Sunday, May 14th Bellingham Swimrun

Saturday, September 16th Vital Choice Bellingham Traverse

Saturday, September 30th Island Quest Adventure Race