The International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference announced yesterday a shift to a December date pattern beginning in 2027.

The move comes in response to feedback from the industry and potential disruptions during hurricane season. The first IBEX to follow the new date pattern is scheduled for December 7-9, 2027, at the Tampa Convention Center.

“In recent years, hurricanes have caused disruptions and uncertainty for IBEX,” show director Mary Velline said in a statement. “We listened carefully to the industry, and the December shift is ideal, allowing us to better serve our community by delivering a dependable, world-class event each year and ensuring long-term success for our exhibitors.”

“We recognized the risk — people were concerned,” Velline told Trade Only Today during a call from this week’s American Boating Congress in Washington, D.C. “IBEX represents a significant investment and opportunity for both exhibitors and visitors. It’s not just about the potential danger; it’s also the risk of missing out. Many told us it would be a real loss not to attend IBEX and see the latest innovations.”

“We’ve been having this conversation for a while,” she added. “Over the years, we’ve conducted several surveys — two just last year — and the overwhelming feedback was to remain in Tampa. The industry loves the city, but they wanted us to address the risk factor.”

Velline acknowledged that identifying new dates was a challenge, citing other fall industry events and manufacturer production schedules. “We worked closely with our hotel partners and the Tampa Convention Center to land the new 2027 dates,” she told Trade Only Today.

“It’s an extremely busy season. November sounds ideal, until you consider FLIBS and then Metstrade. That pushed us into December, which ultimately made sense,” she said. “We’re also in conversations with MRAA because we want to be thoughtful and avoid disrupting anyone’s business.”

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas hosts Dealer Week in December. “We’re all part of the same marine industry,” Velline said. “We’re being mindful, and with two years to plan, we’re doing everything we can to mitigate conflict. We’d love to see some collaboration come out of this if we’re able to align.”

The move to December was developed in collaboration with IBEX co-owners RAI Amsterdam and the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

“Moving IBEX to December is both a necessary step and a strategic move to ensure the long-term vitality of the show,” NMMA president and CEO Frank Hugelmeyer said in the statement. “This new timing avoids the risks of hurricane season and will give our exhibitors and attendees greater consistency and opportunity for growth year after year.”

IBEX is scheduled for:

• Oct. 7-9

• Oct. 6-8, 2026

• Dec. 7-9, 2027

• Dec. 5-7, 2028

• Dec. 4–6, 2029
For exhibitor or attendee inquiries, contact Mary Velline at [email protected]. More details about the 2027 date change will be shared in the coming months, the IBEX statement said.