Thank you Megan Zabel-Holmes for putting together this recap video and allowing us to relive the special weekend shared in Duluth, Minnesota October 24-26 for the 2024 Great Lakes Outdoor Summit!

On October 24-26, 2024, over 300 outdoor recreation professionals and advocates from 14 different states attended the Great Lakes Outdoor Summit in Duluth, Minnesota to learn, network, and adventure together. On Friday, October 25, attendees enjoyed an inspiring keynote speaker, 12 educational sessions lead by over 30 industry leaders, and ample networking opportunities. You can view the session recordings and PDF slide presentations here. Free for download and sharing.

We were lucky to have Connor Ryan, Indigenous activist, filmmaker, and Patagonia-sponsored skier, join us at the 2024 Great Lakes Outdoor Summit as our keynote speaker. Connor shared his personal story and perspective on how traditional Indigenous culture and ecological knowledge can shape our relationship to the lands we recreate and adventure on. You can watch the full recording; originally recorded October 25, 2024 in Duluth, Minnesota.

Field trips were one of our favorite add-ons during the 2024 Great Lakes Outdoor Summit. They were a great chance for Summit attendees to enjoy many of the outdoor recreation opportunities of Duluth, while also meeting the faces and organizations behind these incredible trails and projects.

SAVE THE DATE! The Duluth Area Outdoor Alliance (DAOA) is excited to be teaming up with the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals for the 2026 National Outdoor Recreation Conference hosted in Duluth May 11-14, 2026. This is an incredible opportunity for DAOA and growing the Great Lakes Outdoor Summit.

Thank you to everyone who attended this year's Great Lakes Outdoor Summit! We had 346 registered attendees coming from 14 states to connect and learn from each other. Over 40 outdoor recreation nonprofits, agencies, land managers, and retailers tabled to share their projects and hopes for the future, and hundreds of enthusiasts walked away with new friends or memories with friends of old. The community’s enthusiasm and commitment to the outdoors made the event truly special.

We had an experiential photo booth from our sponsor What We Saw by Michaela Rai. Michaela invited people to sit down to share their earliest or most impactful outdoor memory. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, and to Michaela for joining us and for capturing so much beauty in a few tiny frames!

A special highlight of the 2024 Great Lakes Outdoor Summit was a live recording of The Dirtbag Diaries podcast at The West Theatre, sponsored by the Minnesota Land Trust. Fitz Cahall flew in to record stories of three national icons including Connor Ryan, Alan Sparhawk, and Quinn Brett.

In 2023, the Great Lakes Outdoor Summit created the Judy Gibbs "Unless" Award to recognize exemplary service and outstanding achievements on behalf of the Great Lakes region’s environment and the outdoor recreation movement. This year, Judy Gibbs (left) and Lisa Luokkala (right) honor Dick Haney (center) as the 2024 "Unless" Award recipient.