Building Best-in-Class: How Outside Days Became a Breakout Hit
By: Phoebe Choi, FestForums® | July 6, 2026
Photo Courtesy of Groundswell Experiential
When people start comparing your festival to SXSW, you know you're onto something.
Now in its third year, Outside Days, produced in partnership with Groundswell Experiential, has quickly become one of the most talked-about events in Denver. More than 40,000 people showed up this year, and the buzz on the ground matched the numbers.
Earlier this year, FestForums® hosted a panel with Groundswell Experiential on creating best-in-class, revenue-generating IP events. Joining Outside Days' Michael Roberts, VP of Story and Experiences, and Christopher Jerard, Chief Brand Officer, were Outside Days Executive Producers Mike Raspatello, founder of Raspatello + Co, and Joe Lucchese, EVP at Groundswell Experiential.
Michael Roberts shared: "Outside Days is a celebration of outdoor culture and community. We are really at this fascinating cross-section between the outdoor community and the festival community."
Watching Outside Days unfold this year showed exactly why their approach is turning heads across the industry.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Many news outlets and attendees have been comparing Outside Days to SXSW: a festival taking over a city and creating a unique experience for both locals and visitors from around the world (Westword).
Christopher Jerard shared how his vision for Outside Days came from past experiences attending festivals like New Orleans Jazz Fest and SXSW. "The outdoor community didn't have its own SXSW," he said. "We had this concept of creating something that combines these festivals and attracts a global audience."
Support from Denver's Office of Outdoor Recreation and the Colorado governor helped turn that concept into a major statewide initiative, helping make it happen.
This year, Outside Days made a major venue shift, moving from Civic Center Park to the Auraria Campus. It's the kind of move that became the foundation for the festival's next chapter.
The Partnerships That Made It Possible
Numbers tell part of the story. The moments tell the rest.
One of the festival's biggest sponsors, Rooted, helped attendees reconnect with the natural world. Ultimate Base Camp gave people a place to plan their next big adventure. A new addition this year, Fire & Forage, brought chefs together for a culinary activation, and kids 12 and under attended free.
Thursday and Friday hosted an industry conference spanning all corners of the outdoor world: endurance, travel, gear, and more. Notable speakers included Ryan Geller, CEO of Patagonia, Mary Beth Laughton, President and CEO of REI Co-op, James Kelly, Global Head of Sports Marketing of NorthFace, Jeremy Bloom, CEO of the X Games, among other leaders shaping outdoor industry history.
Why This Matters for Festival Producers
Outside Days is a masterclass in a few things every festival producer should be paying attention to.
Building the right team matters as much as the idea itself. As the festival scales, so does the operational lift behind it. Joe Lucchese put it simply: "This is a very unique festival. It's largely a sponsorship-driven festival. We had about 120+ partners with about 80+ activations across the multiple days." Coming from a background in operations and media/sponsorship sales, Joe emphasized that this is fundamentally a consumer-facing festival, which means having dedicated teams solely focused on sponsorships, understanding how to work with brands the right way, and making sure media buyers understand the full value of the event.
Multi-purpose programming works. Music, industry panels, film screenings, and brand activations don't have to compete for attention. When programmed thoughtfully, they reinforce each other and bring different audiences into the same space.
Brand activations should feel like experiences. Climbing walls, ropes courses, drum circles, frisbee tosses with celebrity chefs aren't just sponsor placements, they're memories.
Family-friendly doesn't mean less cool. Building space for kids and families alongside hardcore fans and industry insiders broadens your audience without diluting your brand.
The Groundswell and Outside Days team is proof that a festival can scale fast without losing the heart of what makes it special. We're excited to keep watching this one grow.
Want to hear more behind-the-scenes from the team? Watch the full FestForums® panel here.
Want to hear more from industry leaders building the next generation of festivals? Find more information at www.festforums.com or reach out to admin@festforums.com to learn more.