June Update - Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership

Director’s Note

The unofficial start of summer is behind us, and the past few weeks have packed plenty into Minnesota's outdoor recreation community. The 2026 legislative session wrapped with real wins — most notably a $191 million Legacy bill that expands habitat investment into urban and suburban communities — and a few unfinished conversations, like the foraging legislation, that we'll track into next session. In Washington, the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable made the case that the $1.3 trillion outdoor economy belongs at the center of American health policy, a framing that aligns squarely with where Minnesota is already heading.

Closer to home, momentum is building toward two big events. Outdoor Retailer (OR) arrives in Minneapolis in August.On the heels of OR, the second annual Outdoor Industry Summit returns in September with 200 seats filling fast and a program built around participation trends, strategic planning and the collective brand we're building together.

Thanks for being part of this important work and enjoy lake season(s)!

Randolph Briley
Director, Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership

September Summit Update

It's hard to think about September right after the unofficial start of summer, but here we are. The September Summit will be here before we know it, and we're building a strong program for the 2.0 edition. Attendees will have ample opportunity for community and networking, including a morning hike before the Summit kicks off. Panels will cover participation trends, strategic planning, building our collective brand and much more. Only 200 spots are available, and they're going fast. Reserve your spot now.

June Event Spotlight: Minnesota Paddling Opener

Minnesotans love an opener. We're coming off the annual headliner — the fishing opener, which drew half a million Minnesotans to cast a line over opener weekend. Continuing the water theme, our June event spotlight is the annual Minnesota Paddling Opener, a weekend that captures what Minnesotans do best: spend time on the water. The opener includes multiple races, from a 5K "Root Beer Float" to a 145-mile endurance trek that starts in Brainerd. All races finish at the same spot — Peninsula Point Park in Anoka — and the post-race party is open and free to all, paddler or not. To learn more, check out their website and the Minnesota Bound episode featuring the event.

Lessons Learned: Outside Summit 2026

On May 27, I had the privilege of attending this year's Outside Summit. The Outside Summit is an annual event in Denver where outdoor industry professionals gather to network, discuss the latest issues facing the industry and collaborate on ideas for navigating the current economic environment.

The following are a few lessons learned from this year’s Summit. First, the outdoor industry is united in an effort to increase accessibility and lessen friction to time outdoors so we can more effectively compete against screen time. American children spend on average, seven hours per day on screens and only seven minutes per day in unstructured play outdoors. This is unsustainable and no other industry is better positioned as a counterweight and antidote to our digital world.

Another area of universal agreement is the importance of outdoor recreation in supporting and lowering the overall costs of healthcare. This is a story that must continuously be told, and the healthcare industry can be natural partners in enhancing the wellness of all Americans. More on this effort in an item you’ll find below.

One last lesson, and this came directly from a conversation featuring Minnesota’s own Jessie Diggins, board member of Protect Our Winters. Even though it may have dropped off the political radar, climate change remains a very real issue that we must address or else our winter recreational activities will continue to face significant impacts.

2026 Legislative Session Recap

The 2026 legislative session ended a few weeks ago and there were a few outcomes squarely in the outdoor recreation arena that deserve attention.

Annual Legacy Bill: As passed, the bill directs $191 million through the Outdoor Heritage Fund to 53 projects that will protect and restore nearly 69,000 acres of prairies, forests, wetlands and wildlife habitat. It also expands Conservation Partners Legacy grants to urban and suburban communities that have historically seen less Legacy investment.

Mushroom Foraging: This bill would have clarified the rules for harvesting mushrooms, berries and other edibles on Minnesota public lands, but it stalled before the session ended. With an estimated 200,000 Minnesotans foraging at some level, supporters — including legislators, the DNR, tribal members and foraging experts — plan to keep refining the proposal for next session. In the meantime, the DNR is updating its online foraging guidance and working to clarify existing rules.

Outdoor Rec and Health Care Collide in D.C.

The Outdoor Recreation Roundtable convened the first-ever National Executive Forum on Health and Outdoor Recreation in Washington, D.C., on May 6-7, 2026. The U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum joined state recreation leaders, researchers and outdoor industry and health CEOs to position the $1.3 trillion outdoor economy as core infrastructure for American health.

The forum launched America's Outdoor Era, ORR's national vision to reposition outdoor recreation as a cornerstone of U.S. health policy. The initiative calls on the industry to expand equitable access, embed outdoor activity into workplace wellness and partner with health systems on prevention. ORR also announced a new Rural Outdoor Recreation and Health Catalyst Grant Program, backed by the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the LOR Foundation and the VF Foundation, to fund locally led projects in rural communities. During the roundtable, the Confluence of States (of which Minnesota is a member) welcomed Connecticut as its 22nd member and will host the first-ever Summit on Outdoor Recreation and Health this fall.

Listen to the Latest Episode of "Explore Minnesota More"

"Outdoor Retailer Comes to Minnesota: A Show, not a Trade Show," features three guests with complementary vantage points. A Minnesota brand-builder, a longtime industry journalist who built his career on the show, and the Outdoor Retailer leader shaping the 2026 experience. Together, they unpack what the move means for the industry, Minnesota, and every outdoor business and nonprofit in the state.

Four Northeast Minnesota Shore Fishing Piers Get Upgrades

The Minnesota DNR has upgraded four shore fishing piers in the state's northeast region, giving anglers new and improved spots for the open-water season at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area in Ironton, Little Emily Lake in Crow Wing County, Munger Landing in Duluth and Wakemup Bay in Cook. A fifth upgraded pier at Sand Lake near Warba is scheduled for full installation in June.

Get Out MORE (Modernize Outdoor Recreation Experiences) — a one-time $150 million investment in Minnesota's recreation system — funded the improvements. The DNR maintains more than 200 accessible fishing piers statewide, a reminder that shore fishing remains one of the most accessible entry points to angling for Minnesotans of all abilities.

MNSOBA Moment

The Minnesota State Outdoor Business Alliance (MNSOBA) is a coalition of Minnesota outdoor brands working together to raise the industry's profile and grow it across the state. State Outdoor Business Alliances — SOBAs — have been around for a while; the elder statesman can be found in Maine at roughly 20 years old. MNSOBA is one of the newest kids on the block.

MNSOBA is already making waves. The Alliance recently appointed its first Board and elected its first slate of officers. It's also working closely with ORIP on a Minnesota Pavilion that will be a centerpiece of this year's Outdoor Retailer show in Minneapolis.

That’s all the news for now. We'll keep sharing timely updates, data releases and opportunities throughout the year. If you have news to share or want to connect, please reach out.

Randolph Briley

Director, Outdoor Recreation Industry Partnership

Randolph Briley (he/him)  |  Deputy Director - Outdoor Recreation

121 7th Place East, Suite 360, St. Paul, MN 55101 

C: 320-319-6692

randolph.briley@state.mn.us  |  exploreminnesota.com | outdoorindustrypartnership.com