Rapid City will Host Outdoor Media Summit in 2027
National Outdoor Gathering Brings Together Writers, Creators and Gear Industry Leaders
Outdoor Media Summit (OMS) – the largest gathering of media in the outdoor industry – is coming to Rapid City for its 2027 conference and will bring the industry’s leading journalists, creators, and brand industry leaders to the Black Hills in October 2027.
The announcement was made by Visit Rapid City CEO Ally Formanek during the 2026 OMS conference in Asheville, North Carolina. The 2027 event will mark the next chapter for a conference designed to bring the outdoor media industry together for education, networking, product discovery, and conversations about the future of the outdoor industry.
“Rapid City is kind of the perfect place for OMS,” said Yoon Kim, founder of Outdoor Media Summit. “This destination has incredible outdoor experiences, some of the most recognizable icons in the country, and a community that gets it. Our attendees want to get outside and experience a place authentically, and the Black Hills give us an amazing backyard to do that. I can’t wait to bring the OMS community to Rapid City and let them experience it for themselves.”
The summit will bring outdoor writers, editors, content creators, brand marketers, public relations professionals, and outdoor industry executives from across the country to Rapid City, the Black Hills and South Dakota. This event provides a unique and interactive way for attendees to connect with one another while experiencing the landscapes, outdoor recreation opportunities, and community that brings it all together.
“Hosting Outdoor Media Summit is an incredible opportunity to put Rapid City and the Black Hills directly in front of people who are intertwined in the outdoor industry,” said Formanek. “We’re excited to showcase Rapid and introduce attendees to why this is such a special place to explore, create, and connect.”
The launching point to the Black Hills, Rapid City has abundant outdoor recreation opportunities, with highlights that include the Black Hills National Forest, Custer State Park, Spearfish Canyon, Badlands National Park, and national icons like Mount Rushmore National Memorial. This is also where outdoor adventures intersect with Western culture, Indigenous history, and a welcoming community. For outdoor media, that combination creates an abundance of stories to tell.
“Rapid City is a place where you can start your morning with a hike in the Black Hills, spend the afternoon exploring a national park, and end the day downtown,” said Formanek. “That accessibility is one of our greatest strengths, and we’re looking forward to sharing it with the outdoor media community in 2027.”
Throughout the summit, attendees will have opportunities to experience western South Dakota through outdoor excursions, networking events and destination experiences designed to showcase the area, while also checking out the latest gear from outdoor brands.
For Rapid City, hosting the summit represents more than just winning a conference. It’s also an opportunity to strengthen relationships with an industry that plays an important role in the region's tourism economy, while generating national awareness of the Black Hills and Rapid City as an outdoor destination.
Additional details about dates, registration and programming for the 2027 Outdoor Media Summit will be announced soon.
More information about Visit Rapid City is available at visitrapidcity.com, while additional details for Outdoor Media Summit can be found at outdoormediasummit.com.
###
About Visit Rapid City
Visit Rapid City is the official marketing organization for Rapid City and promotes leisure travel, meetings, sports and events to Rapid City and the Black Hills area. More information can be found at VisitRapidCity.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Pinterest or discover images and content with #VisitRapidCity.
About Outdoor Media Summit
Outdoor Media Summit is where the brightest minds in outdoor media and marketing gather to share secrets, forecast the future, and drive industry growth. The conference brings together journalists from major outdoor publications, brand marketers, content creators, and outdoor industry CEOs for education, networking, and the industry's only consensus-driven gear evaluation process.
Media Contacts
Tia Troy, Visit Rapid City, tia@lightningbugpublicrelations.com, 406-529-8314
Yoon Kim, Outdoor Media Summit, yoon@outdoormediasummit.com, 630-400-5776