The 2023 Gateway Outdoor Expo has been announced for Friday and Saturday, March 31 and April 1, at Tower Grove Park in St. Louis. The event will showcase new outdoor gear, services, and resources, as well as interactive demos and experiential attractions — all in a festive, family-friendly environment.

In addition, the Expo will continue its partnership with GO! St. Louis as the official packet pickup location for the 2023 GO! St. Louis Marathon & Family Fitness Weekend. This means all GO! St. Louis marathoners, half marathoners, 10K runners, and marathon relay teams will pick up their race packets at the Expo. The races are scheduled to take place on Saturday and Sunday, April 1 and 2, in downtown St. Louis.

“By partnering with the Gateway Outdoor Expo as the official GO! St. Louis Marathon Weekend packet pickup host, we are providing our participants with an experience that is far beyond the typical race expo format,” said Mona Vespa, president of GO! St. Louis. “Our participants loved last year’s interactive experience, the wide variety of vendors, and the unique atmosphere. We are excited to continue this partnership in 2023.”

The partnership with GO! St. Louis resulted in the 2022 Gateway Outdoor Expo being the largest ever, attracting more than 200 exhibitors and 8,000 attendees over two days.

“GO! St. Louis hosts our region’s largest running event, and its mission to encourage individuals and families to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle aligns perfectly with our own,” said Brad Kovach, expo director and editor/publisher of Terrain Magazine. “We’re really excited to continue this partnership and work together to make both events even better and more inclusive.”

Big news for 2023 is that, for the first time in its history, the Gateway Outdoor Expo will head outside when it is hosted in the northeast quadrant of Tower Grove Park. Entrance to the event will be free to the public, making it more welcoming and accessible than ever.

“We’re really excited to take the Expo outdoors, which is truly where it belongs,” said Kovach. “Not only is Tower Grove Park a beautiful venue, but its openness gives us the opportunity to feature additional vendors and activities to inspire people to get outside and have meaningful experiences in nature.”

The Gateway Outdoor Expo will highlight activities such as running, biking, hiking, camping, rock climbing, and paddling, as well as adventure travel, health and wellness, and more. Special features include:

  • Rock Climbing Wall: Test your ability on several different routes of varying difficulty. The wall is 23 feet tall, with holds and features that simulate a real rock surface.
  • Mountain Bike Demo Course. This area allows Expo attendees to try out a mountain bike on simulated off-road obstacles.
  • Mobile Life Exhibitors: Tour the latest overland vehicles, adventure vans, mini travel trailers, and toy haulers and take your future outdoor excursions on the road.
  • VIP Party: Rub elbows with Expo vendors and enjoy select food and beverages at this celebratory mixer on the evening of Thursday, March 30.

Both the Gateway Outdoor Expo and Terrain Magazine are powered by River City Outdoors, a local nonprofit organization committed to creating opportunities through which all St. Louisans can learn about outdoor recreation and experience the mental, physical, and emotional benefits that go hand in hand.

Those interested in becoming an exhibitor or sponsor at the 2023 Gateway Outdoor Expo can find more information online at http://gatewayoutdoorexpo.com/ or contact Steve Schmidt at steve@terrain-mag.com.