PHOTO COURTESY CHICAGO BOAT CO.

On the heels of the first post-Labor Day show last weekend at the Daytona Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla., several shows around the country are about to hit the water, which should give us a realistic picture of the buyer attitudes that dealers will face heading into the fall season.

Opening tomorrow is the Progressive Metro Boat Show at Lake St. Clair Metropark in suburban Detroit. It is the largest in-water boat show on the Great Lakes, boasting a mile-long footprint that will feature more than 300 boats up to 50-plus feet.

The show, which opens today and runs through Sunday, is produced by the Michigan Boating Industries Association and traditionally draws thousands from a tri-state area (Michigan, Ohio and Indiana). This year, according to MBIA executive director, Nicki Polan, a major ad campaign is pushing both the introduction of 2025 models and end-of-season discounts and special equipment deals on all current inventories.

The show also generates a large attendance with family features, including food trucks, kid’s crafts, beer tents, live music and more. Michigan is the third largest marine market in the nation, with an $11.7 billion annual impact to the state’s economy and an estimated 4-plus million people out enjoying boating each year.

Meanwhile, one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest in-water boat shows will opens today through Sunday, the Boats Afloat Show staged by the Northwest Yacht Brokers Association. The show fleet is tied up at Seattle’s South Lake Union.

This show boasts more than 70 exhibitors displaying both new and brokerage powerboats and sailboats from a host of major brands, including Beneteau, Aspen, Catalina, Coastal Craft, Aviara, Targa, Greenline, Pursuit, Ocean Alexander and Cutwater.

The event also boasts live music, free seminars, and food and drinks, all in a unique in-water setting.

The fall season in New England is on full display as the Newport International Boat Show also opens today and runs through Sunday.

The show is centered in historic downtown Newport, R.I., and is among the largest in-water shows, spanning over 15 acres and six connected sites. In addition to new boats, this year’s show boasts a Brokerage Basin north of Bannister Wharf that will feature power- and sailboats to 100 feet.

Among the show’s activities is the Cruisers Classroom Tent (sail and power sessions), as well as a schedule of interactive skills presentations covering an array of related topics, such as boating tips, fishing, boat maintenance, financing and safety.

Boat shows are the only guaranteed way dealers can put products and their sales team face-to-face with thousands of prospects and customers who paid to attend (talk about qualification).

While there aren’t the large number of fall boat shows around the country that we have on the winter circuit, every retailer should be in a fall show.