Norwalk Boat Show wraps with strong leads, sales reports
The Progressive Insurance Norwalk Boat Show wrapped on Sunday, Sept. 23 with exhibitors reporting solid sales, quality attendees and strong leads with many stating they will return next year.
This year, the show attracted 14,384 attendees, down 5 percent from 2017 with 15,071 attendees. A few factors affected attendance this year compared to last, including the Jewish holiday falling earlier in the week and overcast, cooler weather.
However, paid attendance and children’s attendance was up from 2015 and 2016, which are similar to this year with the Jewish holiday falling outside of show dates.
The 2018 show featured 300 boats and an array of family-friendly activities, in addition to hands-on seminars and learning experiences for anglers and boaters visiting the show.
Some of the main attractions included the following: Expanded Touch-a-Boat Tour, which gave kids an opportunity to interact with captains of service boats and more than 10 boat stops on the tour; Progressive Boat Club’s new Oculus Rift virtual reality boat race game; On-Water Training presented by Boat U.S. which got teens (13-19) and adults out on the water each day to learn new skills; an opening day ribbon cutting ceremony with Sen. Bob Duff; and a Career Day in partnership with the Connecticut Marine Trades Association (CMTA) that engaged more than 30 kids from schools such as Stamford Technical School and Fairfield County Boat Building School, with speakers from Brewer Yacht Yards & Marinas, Boston Whaler and Yamaha.
The show was featured in local media outlets and on local influencer channels, with highlights including:
- News 12 (ran multiple times): Norwalk Boat Show Returns for 43rd Year
- CT Style/Cruisin CT: Cruisin’ Connecticut – 43rd Annual Progressive Norwalk Boat Show
- Better CT: Progressive Insurance Norwalk Boat Show
- Connecticut Post: SEEN: Norwalk Boat Show 2018
- Stamford Advocate: Fun In Waves: Boat Show Returns to Norwalk with Hundreds of Vessels, Activities
- Greenwich Times: Fun In Waves: Boat Show Returns to Norwalk with Hundreds of Vessels, Activities
- 203 Local: Instagram Post
- 203 Kids: Instagram Post
- Meg Hall: Instagram Story
Winter boat show season is now just 3 1/2 months away kicking off in January. Up next: Progressive Insurance Chicago Boat, RV & Sail Show (Jan 9 – 13), Progressive Insurance Atlanta Boat Show (Jan 10 – 13), Progressive Insurance Kansas City Boat & Sportshow (Jan 10 – 13) and Progressive Insurance Nashville Boat Show (Jan 10 – 13).
For the full NMMA winter boat and sportshow calendar click HERE.
