ADVANCE YOUR OUTDOOR CAREER
November 4 - 8, 2025 | San Diego, CA
About the Conference
The Outdoor Professional Conference (OPC) is the gathering for professionals from across the industry who facilitate participant-facing outdoor recreation. This event is designed for attendees to be empowered, get connected, and stay relevant.
Through workshops, education sessions, networking opportunities, and the exhibit hall, the OPC focuses on addressing the trends, issues and challenges within facilitated recreation and also allows for shared learning for those who lead others.
We are working to intentionally connect employers with potential employees, brands with decision makers, and attendees with fellow trailblazers. We invite seasoned professionals to share their insight and experience with emerging professionals as we all come together to advance the outdoor profession and professional.
The Outdoor Professional Conference strives to empower participant facing outdoor recreation and education providers and facilitators by:
expanding collaboration between the outdoor industry and outdoor recreation and education
offering high quality educational opportunities
building and strengthening professional skills and knowledge
broadening networking opportunities
educating on advocacy and public policy efforts within the industry
amplifying the value and impact of outdoor recreation
Remove Financial Constraints to Grow the Industry
We can’t offer the conference for free, as that would be perpetuating the cycle of low cost, low value. We offer this conference as an opportunity for outdoor recreation professionals to grow their skill sets and know their worth in the industry. We know how important it is for outdoor professionals to have experiences like attending the OPC where they can use their voice to create change, inspire others, and continue to grow in the industry.
OPC is a valuable experience for all attendees who make the most out of their experience. We need your help to ensure that we can bring every facilitator who wants to be a part of the industry's growth and future. You can help by donating to our scholarship fund — this helps sponsor professionals trip to New Orleans to learn from industry experts and connect with fellow trailblazers. Attendees will find plenty of networking opportunities, job opportunities, workshops, and a robust exhibit hall.
Quick Information
Registration
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Hotels
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Convention Center
San Diego Convention Center111 W Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
Attendee Prospectus
Coming soon!
"My involvement with the OPC, especially when I was preparing for my presentations, helped me grow professionally and personally in more ways than I thought I'd be able to while still in my undergrad. The mentorship opportunities it gave me and the feedback from the process made me grow and develop into a much stronger professional, even at the beginning of my career."
Em Dahlgren
Team Development Facilitator
Frequently Asked Questions
For attendees, your registration will include:
- Workshops & keynotes and networking events.
- Exhibit hall with live vendor presentations and 1:1 meetings;
- Committee meetings
Yes! We hope to bring back the symposium!
Please check back for updates!
We are excited to offer a wide range of professional development opportunities at the 2025 Outdoor Professional Conference! We opened our call for proposals in February for anyone (members, non-members) to submit and closed it on March 31st.
Those who submitted proposals agreed to the following:
- In order to increase access to AORE, the association has always operated with a strong reliance on volunteers and with a lean budget. This means, all presenters and volunteers pay to attend the conference. If accepted, all presenters must register and pay for the attendance at the 2025 AORE Annual Conference (daily rates are available).
- All presenters understand that they must be willing to present any day of the Conference, during any time slotted under the direction of the Conference Planning Action Team. Efforts will be made to avoid conflicts listed by the presenters at the time of submission.
- All presenters will demonstrate high standards of professional conduct and will not discriminate against participants on the basis of gender, age, socioeconomic or ethnic background, sexual orientation, or disability. As the Lead Presenter, I verify that I have communicated with all other presenters. By Signing below, we acknowledge that, if accepted, our presentation will adhere to the requirements listed above.
Once the proposal window was closed, we worked with our volunteer review team. Approximately 20 volunteers went through multiple proposals and grade the proposal on the follow criteria:
Any identifying information, such as presenter name, was removed during the review process.
- The content is current and of interest to the target audience.
- The topic will and should affect the industry.
- The topic aligns with one or more of the goals and objectives for the conference.
- Organization and Structure
- Easily identifiable goals/outcomes appropriate for the audience.
- Argument/evidence clearly grounded in research and/or experience.
- Acknowledges a range of perspectives, learning preferences, and abilities.
- Clear and logical progression of topics.
- Ability to Inspire Action
- Transferability to a range of settings.
- Clearly articulates practical application strategies in a significant and thorough manner.
- Encourages and motivates audience to achieve more.
- Overall Quality
- Relevance: Original and engaging content.
- Organization: Creative and innovative presentation.
- Inspiration: Promoting growth and excellence.
If you are interested in presenting with AORE with our virtual programming or at our future Outdoor Professional Conferences, please email us at NationalOffice@aore.org.
Yes, absolutely! You can attend AB, MFA and NAYS sessions are free for all AORE attendees.
Schedule at a Glance
AORE Registration
Convention Center
AORE Welcome Reception
Convention Center
Registration
Convention Center
Plenary + Networking
Convention Center
Education Sessions
Convention Center
Education Sessions
Convention Center
Expo Hall Open
Convention Center
AORE Social
Rooftop Cinema Club
Education Sessions
Convention Center
Expo Hall Open
Convention Center
Full Schedule coming soon!
*Schedule Subject to Change*
"Co-hosting with AB provided support that AORE was able to benefit from. The sessions I attended were good and I met new folks and made good connections."
Choose Your Own Adventure ... OPC Edition!
We often get feedback after events from attendees wishing that one or two aspects could have been different. We are inclined to agree! The missing piece? You!
We need your input along the way to ensure it's an event designed for what you want and need. This is your official invitation to help us plan our next Outdoor Professional Conference!
Start the adventure below. Check out the timeline to the right (you can click to view it larger) to see how planning an annual conference works.
You’ve decided to embark on this journey (volunteering to help make OPC 25 the best yet)! Let’s go:
Decision 1:
Which conference area do I want to give my time to? You can select more than one!
AORE Social
What activities should we have during the social?
- Should we hire a band? Play lawn games? Host trivia? You help us decide and plan!
Vendor Relations
I want to help fill the exhibit hall with great brands!
- As a small team, we could use all the help (& connections) you have to offer!
I want to help with the live auction!
- Help us make asks and secure auction items.
- Help us work through logistics of a live auction.
I want to help bring in sponsorships!
- Help us bring in sponsorship dollars to help offset the cost of the conference. PS: Sponsorship dollars are a great way for AORE to be able to provide some food and beverage throughout the OPC.
- Looking for some great swag in that welcome bag? Help us secure some donated sponsored items.
Decision 2:
How much time do I have to volunteer?
Once you decide how much time you have (ex: 1 hour per week, 2 hours per month, etc), Team AORE will work with you to get a plan together to move projects forward while respecting your time commitment.
Decision 3:
Do I make it official?
We hope so! Fill out this form to officially sign up to volunteer to make 2025’s Outdoor Professional Conference great!
Please note that there will also be opportunities to volunteer onsite at the conference as well!
"The sessions were really great! The content the presenters were speaking to was well thought out and current with trends many of us are facing. In addition, the conference rate this year made the conference more obtainable with university budget cuts!"
Why Co-Locating with the AB Show?
We are here to serve our members. As we have watched our membership change and grow over the years, we have taken note of how we can best support you. This partnership will give our members access to the same great networking opportunities and education you all know and love — but also expand opportunities with leadership and management. This will give you the opportunity to learn how to grow yourself - and the business of getting outside! Talking about ourselves, to ourselves is not going to advance our work — it is time to spread our wings and fly!
We are joining a 40 year conference with over 2,300 facility and program managers from around the world. These decision-makers come to the AB Show every year to learn new solutions from industry leaders, find new products and services and build community.