Industry Newsletter July 2026

FRIDAY, JULY 17
This year, IRONMAN is excited to introduce Currents to Kicks, a brand-new splash-and-dash experience launching race weekend at IRONMAN 70.3 Oregon. It's a fast, fun way for IRONMAN participants and community athletes to preview the course, loosen up and kick off the weekend. Athletes will take on a 1.2-mile downriver swim on the official race-day swim course followed by a 2.1-mile run.

You don't have to be an IRONMAN athlete to take part — Currents to Kicks is open to anyone who wants to experience race weekend firsthand. Whether you're a swimmer, a runner, or just looking for a fun new challenge, this is your chance to take on a part of the official course, earn a medal and celebrate with neighbors and IRONMAN participants right here in Salem.

Alongside the race will be a free community celebration from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., at the Gerry Frank Salem Rotary Amphitheater in Riverfront Park featuring wine tasting, food trucks and live music from the Rae Gordon Band — the Cascade Blues Association's 2025 Muddy Award Winner for Best R&B Band.

Whether you take part in Currents to Kicks or just want to soak in the IRONMAN race atmosphere, everyone is welcome — bring the whole family and join in the fun!

Register for Currents to Kicks

SATURDAY, JULY 18
Calling all Salem area families! IRONKIDS Oregon returns with a 1-mile race for ages 5–17, a half-mile race for ages 3–8 and a toddler trot for ages 1–3. IRONKIDS is a great way for local kids to experience the excitement of race weekend up close. Kids will get to cross the official IRONMAN finish line and take home a medal!

Register for IRONKIDS

SUNDAY, JULY 19
The official race begins at 6:00 a.m. in Salem's Riverfront Park and is expected to wrap by 4:00 p.m. The course consists of a 1.2-mile swim down the Willamette River from Minto-Brown Island Park to Riverfront Park, a 56-mile bike ride south on River Road toward the Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge and a 13.1-mile run from Riverfront Park through Minto-Brown Island Park and back.

The surrounding 70-mile racecourse will remain open to the public, but significant crowds and limited downtown parking should be expected on race day. Road closures are planned around Minto-Brown Island Park, Riverfront Park, and River Road South, with signage posted in advance to alert drivers. The Peter Courtney Pedestrian Bridge connecting Riverfront Park and Minto-Brown Island Park will be closed to the public on race day.

Salem has been the exclusive home of IRONMAN 70.3 Oregon since 2021. The race has earned Top-3 honors in multiple categories of the Global Athletes' Choice Awards, including Second Overall Run Experience and Most Recommended 70.3 Course in North America in 2025.

Travel Salem and its partners in tourism, including the City of Salem, Travel Oregon and the Willamette Valley Visitors Association, are proud to host IRONMAN 70.3 Oregon, which is expected to generate more than $11.3 million in economic impact for the Salem region. More details about the course, including maps and information about street impacts, can be found at our website and IRONMAN 70.3 Oregon.com.

Update

The Salem Area Sports Commission continues to deliver results for our community. When a sporting event comes to Salem, the economic impact extends well beyond the venue — filling hotel rooms, supporting restaurants and driving traffic to local businesses and attractions. We're pleased to share that the HSNI High School National Invitational Ultimate Frisbee Tournament (June 11–13) generated 806 room nights and an estimated $448,285 in local economic impact.

That momentum continues with several high-profile events on the calendar:

• Capital Cup 2026 (June 19-21 & June 26-28) — 2,880 attendees, 2,300 room nights, $1,800,000 estimated economic impact
• Jim Sherman Memorial National Qualifier (July 7–12) — 960 attendees, 1,310 room nights, $656,584 estimated economic impact
• IRONMAN 70.3 (July 17–19) — 10,000 attendees, 7,850 room nights, $11,330,419 estimated economic impact
• Hoopla XXVII (July 23-26) — 21,000 attendees, 600 room nights, $693,204.51 estimated economic impact
• USA Softball Western Nationals (July 27–Aug 2) — 675 attendees, 2,780 room nights, $1,236,251 estimated economic impact

The Salem Area Sports Commission remains committed to positioning Salem as a premier sports destination.

Putting Salem on the Map for Group Business

The Meetings & Conventions team works year-round to attract conferences, corporate retreats and group gatherings that fill hotel rooms mid-week, support local businesses and bring new visitors to our region.

In May, Greg Heinze, CMP/PDM, Travel Salem’s VP of Meetings & Conventions, represented Salem at the Small & Boutique Meetings Conference in Anchorage, Alaska. In June, he attended the MPI World Education Congress in San Antonio and hosted a Front Desk Familiarization (FAM) Tour, giving frontline hospitality professionals from across the region a firsthand look at some of Salem's most iconic attractions — including the Oregon State Capitol, Willamette Heritage Center, Don Froylan Creamery, Gilbert House Children's Museum and Lively at the Mill.

That momentum is reflected in recent meetings and conferences hosted in Salem:

• Oregon Thespians (April 9–11) — 1,200 attendees, $20,394 estimated economic impact
• Oregon Battle of the Books (April 10–12) — 500 attendees, $128,714 estimated economic impact
• EdFuture Meeting (April 20–22) — 22 attendees, $20,394 estimated economic impact
• PEO Conference (June 10–14) — 250 attendees, $128,714 estimated economic impact
• VFW Conference (June 17–21) — 250 attendees, $184,029 estimated economic impact