NMMA - National Marine Manufacturers Association Inc.

01/16/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/16/2026 00:06

First Winter Boat Shows in Atlanta and Boston Draw Crowds, Buyers

The Discover Boating Atlanta and New England boat shows, in partnership with Progressive®, kicked off the New Year attracting tens of thousands of new boat buyers and boating enthusiasts shopping for new boats, accessories and the latest marine innovations. Despite mixed economic conditions, exhibitors reported optimism around sales activity and the quality of leads generated - reinforcing NMMA's latest market outlook issued last week.
Discover Boating New England Boat Show®
The Discover Boating New England Boat Show®, in partnership with Progressive®, delivered strong attendance, particularly over the weekend, with exhibitors reporting sales to both returning customers and first-time buyers.
"As a longtime supporter of this event, I am very pleased with our results this year, even as we continue to operate in a challenging market. Sales are up slightly over the previous show, and the weekend draw was excellent for us," said Peter MacCallum, MacCallum's Boat House.
"The New England Boat Show exceeded our expectations this year. Traffic was steady, and it was a very good atmosphere," noted Steve Chase, Bosun's Marine.
Looking ahead, the New England Boat Show will return to its traditional February dates in 2027, taking place February 10-14, 2027. The NMMA and Massachusetts Marine Trade Association (MMTA), have worked closely with state and local officials in securing later dates in Q1 for the show.
Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll helped launch the show's 70th anniversary with an opening-day ribbon-cutting ceremony, joined by NMMA Vice President of Northeast Shows Jon Pritko, MMTA Executive Director Randall Lyons, and Massachusetts Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development Eric Paley. Lt. Gov. Driscoll highlighted the marine industry's role as a key economic driver in New England.
Discover Boating Atlanta Boat Show®
Bouncing back from 2025's Winter Storm Cora, the 2026 Discover Boating Atlanta Boat Show®, in partnership with Progressive®, welcomed a steady stream of attendees, with exhibitors reporting increased sales activity, strong exposure, and engagement with new customers.
"This was the best boat show I've ever had. You guys did a great job this year," said David Rothwell, Carefree Boat Club.
"The energy at the Atlanta Boat Show was inspiring. Seeing such a strong interest in the boating lifestyle is a great sign for the industry's future in Georgia. We look forward to delivering new boats to all of those customers who chose MarineMax to make their boating dream a reality at the boat show," said Kyle Roney, MarineMax.
Up next on the Discover Boating winter boat show calendar:

Maximize boat show marketing to customers: The Discover Boating Boat Show Partner Toolkit includes a host of marketing assets for dealers and manufacturers. Members who are making world or national debuts at boat shows should contact Sarah Salvatori ([email protected]) to optimize media exposure.

NMMA - National Marine Manufacturers Association Inc. published this content on January 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 16, 2026 at 06:06 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]