OWAA's 100th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS!
Founded in 1927, our 100th year starts:
DAYS
HOURS
MINUTES
SECONDS
April 9, 2026
1927-2027
Celebrating a century of leadership and innovation in outdoor communications and conservation - and breaking trail for the next 100 years
Since our founding in 1927, the mission of Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) has been to:
- Improve the professional skills of our members
- Set the highest ethical and communications standards
- Encourage public enjoyment and conservation of natural resources
- Mentor the next generation of professional outdoor communicators
Over the past century, our individual members, supporting groups, and sponsors have built a legacy of leadership, world-class resources and talent that continues to shape our field today.
As we approach our 100th anniversary in 2027 (starting by celebrating our 100th year in 2026), this milestone offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to honor our past, celebrate our community, and inspire our future.
Stories & Legacy
Media Kit (coming soon!)
100 Historical Facts (coming soon!)
Celebratory Events
Off-the-Record Events
Annual Conference 2026 – Revisiting Our Storied Past, 1920’s style, including:
- A 1920’s themed closing event
- We will recreate the menu (as best we can) that our founders signed
- Display cases with historical artifacts
- 100 fun facts about OWAA on our social media
- Various fascinating historical blog posts
Annual Conference 2027 – Breaking Trail for the Future [TBA]
Support the Centennial
A Century of Support Fundraiser!
We’re celebrating OWAA’s 100th year anniversary! Just consider all the OWAA members who’ve joined over that time, all the outdoor stories and conservation messages they’ve shared with the public and just how many hundreds of millions of impressions those stories have had.
We are using our diamond anniversary to reflect on the past and plan for the future, thus we’re looking to further enhance our endowment. We want members and friends alike to support our year-long campaign to raise a total of $100,000 and to help get us to our 200th anniversary.
So we’re asking you to make a generous donation to our endowment today, a gift that will provide funds that help support OWAA in perpetuity.
In honor of our hundredth, you can give:
- 100 one-dollar bills ($100)
- 100 five-dollar bills ($500)
- 100 ten-dollar bills ($1,000)
- 100 fifty-dollar bills ($5,000)
- 100 one-hundred-dollar bills ($10,000)
(Or you can give a ten-carat diamond, as we hear that is considered the appropriate 100th anniversary gift.)
Your donation during this special campaign will be earmarked primarily for the endowment and 81.5% of it will be contributed to this fund (we do need 18.5% for daily operations) to continue to support OWAA into the next 100 years – and beyond!
Please click here and give today so that we can count your gift toward our goal!
Check out some sweat gear, all branded with OWAA’s 100th anniversary logo! There’s apparel, hats and bags from Carhartt, Cotopaxi and Eddie Bauer.
A percentage of sales are donated back to OWAA!
