Fresh off attending the Paddlesports Retailer show in Oklahoma City, many players in the sup and paddling industry are now heading to the Surf Expo show in Orlando, Fla., Sept. 6-8, where the show’s new Bluewater Lounge will showcase more than 30 new watersports brands that celebrate the waterman lifestyle. As for the gratuitous babe shot, courtesy of exhibitor Boardistan? Let’s just say that with the scantily clad surfing industry involved, you’ll see a lot more of them than you do at a typical paddlesports show…
The Bluewater Lounge, sponsored by Hell’s Bay Boatworks, will free feature happy hour events, an appearance by C.A. Richardson, and daily giveaways from AFFTA (American Fly Fishing Trade Association)
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 saltwater to 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,” says show manager Kenneth Andres. “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 waterspouts 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 Ponce Inlet Water Sports said, “I think 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, Wavelike, 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.
