Country Ski Expo aims to be bigger and better for 2022 and beyond

Country Ski and Sport will host its annual ski expo this weekend in Hanover, Mass. (NESJTV Screenshot)

A few years ago, back when Country Ski and Sport used its warehouse primarily for spring and fall equipment sales, owner Ray Stenson had the vision of an exposition gracing the grounds in Hanover, Mass. 

The idea was to re-create Boston’s annual ski expo on a smaller scale. But as the official retailer of the BEWI Ski and Snowboard Expo for a number of years, Stenson was uneasy about going head-to-head with friend Bernie Weichsel, who had run the expo since 1979.

“I did say, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have it here?’ But my partnership with Bernie Weichsel was extremely close,” Stenson said. “So I never even really considered it.” 

Flash forward to 2019, when Weichsel sold both the Boston and Colorado Ski and Snowboard Expos to Snowsports Industries of America. That opened the door slightly for Stenson’s idea, but it was in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, when SIA informed the owner of the ski and snowboard outfitter that there would be no retail component of its re-imagined “Snowbound Expo.” It was then that Stenson’s plan, officially, went into action. 

This week, the Country Ski Expo returns for its third iteration in Hanover, mixing equipment deals with vendors and family fun. 

“My hope was to eliminate the expense and inconvenience of the consumer having to go into Boston to pay [for parking, admission] to buy products on sale,” Stenson said. “So, I wanted to see if we could put an end to that, and we have.” 

For the first time in its brief history, Country Ski has another expo to deal with. The Snowbound Expo, cancelled the last two years due to the pandemic, is finally debuting this month at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. But the expo has been re-branded as a speakers series, lacking the retail component that helped define it for years. 

That will be a severely-missed aspect of the show, according to Stenson, who said the Country Ski Expo is probably one of the top four-five of of its kind in the country. 

Return visitors this year will welcome the improved flow of traffic that has been implemented. The last two years failed to create a bridge between vendors and the sale, a subtraction that has been rectified. 

“This year, for the first time, we’ve connected the two,” Stenson said. “We now have a 12-foot opening between the two spaces. That will make it so the consumer doesn’t have to go in one door, out the same door, and in and out of the other door.” 

They’ll need the extra space. Nearly 70 vendors from around New England and beyond are slated to appear at the expo this week. “It’s an impressive array. Even for me to say that, its impressive who’s coming,” Stenson said. “They’re recognizing the value of the show for sure. Obviously, word spreads.” 

Country Ski will have some 30 boot-fitters from all the manufacturers on hand, in addition to its own top boot-fitting staff. “We’re going to have, of course, experts in the world of skiing, people from Obermayer, Spyder, and all the clothing manufacturers to help,” Stenson said. 

Among the vending highlights of the expo, Ikon Pass will be offering a discount of the price currently on its website ($519-$1,229). “That’s going to be a big bonus for consumers,” said Stenson.

The expo will also hold raffles for lift tickets, offer a band and beer garden, and will even have activities for the younger set so that mom and dad can do some browsing. 

Other vendors scheduled to appear include Loon Mountain Resort, Gunstock, Head, Technica, and Gonzalez Food Truck. Check www.countryski.com/ski-expo for a complete list. 

The expo takes place at 389 Columbia Road, in Hanover. The warehouse is located behind Tractor Supply Co. Signs will be set up to direct consumers. 

Hours: 

Thursday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Find more information about the expo on New England Ski Journal TV. 

Season 6, Episode 1