Crowds of ski- and ride-industry experts will be coming to Copper Mountain Resort next winter, bringing with them retailers from around the globe eager to show off the latest and greatest snow gear and accessories.

Monday afternoon, representatives from SnowSports Industries America announced they’ll move the 2014 On-Snow Demo from Winter Park to Copper Mountain.

The On-Snow Demo will feature more than 140 exhibitors and is expected to bring between 3,000 and 4,000 people to Summit County. The event is scheduled for Feb. 3 and 4. It is hosted annually in conjunction with the Western Winter Sports Reps Association’s Rocky Mountain Demo.

“It was really an event we wanted to host because it gives us an opportunity to showcase Copper Mountain not just to guests but also key industry folks from around the country and the globe,” said Gary Rodgers, Copper Mountain’s president and general manager.

The On-Snow Demo task force reported choosing Copper Mountain because it has all the ingredients essential for a good demo — terrain, facilities, services and close proximity to Denver.

“Copper has a vibrant feel and dynamic terrain that will compliment and carry the energy over from the Snow Show, to keep the stoke flowing,” said SIA board member Annelise Loevlie in a news release.

The two-day ski and ride fest features state-of-art toys, including ski, snowboard, AT, backcountry and cross-country products in all shapes and colors.

With more than 1,500 models of skis and 900-plus models of snowboards on the market, it can be difficult for business owners and representatives to choose which products to provide to their customers, said SnowSports Industries America president

David Ingemie.

But the On-Snow Demo gives them confidence in the products they sell in their stores. It’s not uncommon for participants to make more than 20 runs throughout the day and test out dozens of different gear items, he said.

“Retailers have to try the stuff out to make sure they are buying the right items for their market. Also, consumers want to make sure when they walk into a specialty store that retailers have done their work,” Ingemie said.

The On-Snow Demo was previously held at Winter Park Resort in Grand County. SIA representatives said they had success in that location, but were ready to switch things up.

“We moved it for variety. It was time to make a change and give exposure to some of the other great mountains of Colorado,” Ingemie said.

On-Snow organizers expect the event to spur the local economy.

“It comes during a time of year when there’s a little bit of a lull in Summit County. It’s an ideal time to re-energize the resort and the community,” Copper president Rodgers said.

The self-confessed “equipment junky” said he’s looking forward to participating in the event.

“When you go to the show, you just see how many different people are involved in the industry and the continual year-after-year advancements in technology,” he said. “It’s amazing.”