Key events include an on-water BBQ & Bluegrass Event and the Bluewater Lounge sponsored by Hell’s Bay Boatworks featuring happy hours, an appearance by C.A. Richardson, and daily giveaways from AFFTA
With Surf Expo just weeks away, the show is pleased to announce that the new Bluewater section will showcase over 30 exhibiting watersports brands that celebrate the waterman lifestyle. The Bluewater Lounge, located at the epicenter of the show floor, will feature a special appearance from Flats TV’s Captain C.A. Richardson, free happy hour events on Thursday and Friday afternoon beginning at 4:45 pm, and daily raffles from AFFTA (American Fly Fishing Trade Association) including a Thomas and Thomas 12 weight rod and rolling duffle from Patagonia.
The Surf Expo opener event for buyers and media kicks off Wednesday September 5 at Bill Frederick Park on Turkey Lake from noon to 5 pm. Sponsored by Costa, this BBQ & Bluegrass Event isn’t your typical demo. In addition to checking out the latest gear and products from over 20 watersports brands in action and on the water, attendees can enjoy delicious BBQ and live bluegrass from Vero Beach’s Blue Cypress Bluegrass band. All buyers and media are welcome to attend. A Surf Expo Buyer or Media badge is required for entry. Registration and badge pickup will be available at the event.
Bluewater at Surf Expo celebrates the coastal lifestyle and the convergence of the surf, beach, watersports and inshore/offshore lifestyle. Bluewater will showcase distinguished inshore and offshore brands that are celebrated from the sand and surf. Featured products range from performance and lifestyle apparel to outerwear, sportswear, footwear, accessories, gear and more.
“The addition of Bluewater allows us to present the complete coastal lifestyle and waterman experience at the show,” said Kenneth Andres, Surf Expo sales manager. “People that like to surf and wakeboard also enjoy fishing and diving. People are no longer categorized by a certain watersport of activity anymore; they share a passion for being on the ocean regardless of what they’re doing. The Bluewater lounge is expanding the coastal footprint of the show with new watersports brands, and will be a great way for buyers and retailers to expand their product offerings and be on the cutting edge of this lifestyle trend.”
Matt Dvorak, President of Florida’s Ponce Inlet Water Sports added, “There are fewer consumers who see themselves as a fisherman, or a wakeboarder, or a surfer. They see themselves as a waterman.”
Bluewater exhibitors include Badfish Gear, Bimini Bay Outfitters, Blea Watersports, Calcutta, Filthy Anglers, Flood Tide, Gillz, Hell’s Bay Boatworks, Heybo Outdoors, Hooked Soul, Intertrade, Inc., Ipson, Lewis N. Clark, Lucky Rod, OtterBox/Life Proof, RovR Products, Salt Life, Salty Bum, Sanofee, Sunday Afternoons, Wavelife, XTRATUF and more.
Surf Expo will be held at the Orlando Area Convention Center from Sept. 6-8, 2018. To learn more about the show, and to register to attend as a buyer or media visit www.SurfExpo.com.
Check out the Surf Expo podcast where we sat down with outdoor experts to talk about this new coastal lifestyle convergence: Glenn Law (Editor In Chief of Saltwater Sportsman), Ben Greenwood (Publisher of Wakeboarding Magazine), Kevin Michael (Executive Direct of WSIA), Matthew Dvorak (Ponce Inlet Watersports), Kenneth Andres (Surf Expo) and Todd Fuller, (TBA Outdoors). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmpnBX6R6x4
To exhibit contact:
Kenneth Andres
770-767-9052
kenneth.andres@surfexpo.com
Media Inquiries:
Emily Trogdon, TBA Outdoors, (843) 916-2000 | (843) 687-0706
About Bluewater at Surf Expo;
Bluewater, the newest category within Surf Expo, is devoted to the waterman lifestyle, showcasing distinguished inshore and offshore brands that are celebrated from the saltwater to the sand and surf. Featured products range from performance and lifestyle apparel to outerwear, sportswear, footwear, accessories, gear and more.
Launched in January 2018, the new Bluewater category puts a spotlight on outdoor brands that have always been a part of Surf Expo’s DNA, bringing the show’s coastal lifestyle marketplace full circle.
Centrally located on the expo floor, the Bluewater category’s exhibit area borders those of the paddle, surf and boutique categories to make a seamless connection between Bluewater brands and related show categories. Blending the inshore and offshore worlds under Surf Expo’s one roof exposes buyers and sellers to this growing crossover market within the coastal lifestyle industry.
