CARV Expo will showcase a reinvigorated and vibrant board sports industry
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — We’re in if they’re in. We’ve been hearing this a lot lately and we get it. But now they’re in so let’s do this. CARV Expo, at the San Diego Convention Center June 20 - 22 is where board sports brands, retailers, athletes, media, and advocates will come together for a glimpse into the future. That’s still three months from now. But as we take stock of who is in—and more important, why they’re in—we couldn’t wait to share some of the stoke.
First, CARV Expo is proud to announce a partnership with SURFER magazine, who, after a short hiatus from print, recently re-launched. We’re fired up to be celebrating right alongside them with the inaugural CARV Expo.
“Getting the surf industry together in person, in one place, is mission critical. What CARV Expo is doing in San Diego is a huge step forward. SURFER’s proud to be part of the gathering and help share the stories of all the incredible brands that will be on hand this June,” said Jake Howard, SURFER’s Editor-in- Chief.
After 65 years in publication, the SURFER team is asking the same exact questions everyone is: Who is today’s surfer and how is it that an industry can be both fractured and growing at the same time? One thing we do know, whether it’s a trade show or a surf magazine, it’s no longer enough to be a reflection of the industry—we need to create a vision for its future.
CARV has been fortunate to have a legendary board of advisors representing the retail side, including Town & Country’s Ryan Sugihara, surfing hall-of-famer Kevin “Kevmo” Morris, Proof Lab’s Nate McCarthy, SunDiego’s Dave Nash, and Hansen’s Josh Hansen, to name a few. The contingent of retailers coming to CARV—especially from the western and Hawaiian markets—is shaping up to be as strong as it is well-curated for our industry. Most recently, Abraham Paskowitz joined the team as Retail Relations Manager to help shape the CARV mission, while inviting the most passionate and important shop owners from across the country.
The fact is, the surf, skate, and related outdoor industries have new stories to tell, and new story tellers, which is why CARV intends to leverage media as if it was one leg of the same stool. Media is more important than ever to these industries and CARV aims to become indispensable to media.
Among those stories is the fact that positive evolution is everywhere. We’re proud to have anchor brands like Outerknown and Firewire, Reef, Brixton, and Cobian coming to CARV Expo to make a statement about what they believe the future holds.
Meanwhile, CARV Expo has taken a radical approach to what a board sports industry trade show floor should look like today—just like retailers need to be doing to future-proof their shops. Brands that are innovating, trying new things, taking some risks, and getting noticed for it have always been the lifeblood of the industry. That’s why the CARV Expo model empowers current exhibitors like Rhythm, Katin, and Manera, and especially athlete-owned brands, to represent new leadership within the industry.
Here’s the thing: we know that many brands are writing more orders than they have in years. We also know that retailers are actively on the hunt for new brands. And that’s why we launched CARV—let’s funnel the enthusiasm out west, where it belongs, and into an event that is actively fostering community and change in board sports and adventure. CARV Expo belongs to you guys.
For the most up-to-date information for exhibitors and attendees; details about events; and announcements about partnerships, special guests, and parties, visit www.carvexpo.com
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