BOATING
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MAKING WAVES
TOM RYON
The Stuart Boat Show, set for Jan. 13-15, has enjoyed a growth spurt in the number of dealers, exhibitors and attendees.
Relationships help fuel Stuart Boat Show’s success
BY JOE DESALVO
When your boat show is the largest on the Treasure
Coast and deemed one of the top events in the
Southeast, it’s more than a boating lifestyle
you’re promoting.
The three-day Stuart Boat Show, returning for its 49th year
on Jan. 13, has been built on relationships. Many will be
established that weekend between boat dealers and buyers.
In addition, there’s the longstanding relationship between
the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast,
which established the show in 1974, Allsports Productions,
now in its 35th year as the show’s promoter, and the city
of Stuart.
“The secret really has been great committee work with
partnership with our promoter and working with our city,”
Michele Miller, director of operations for the MIATC, says.
“We really try to be good stewards with the land that we’re
working on. We try to leave it better than when we came —
cleaner, nicer, better. We don’t want to be a negative impact.”
CONTINUES TO GROW
Mike Allen, who manages the show for Pompano Beachbased
Allsports Productions, says the impact of the highly
regarded event — held on land and in water north of downtown
Stuart on NW Dixie Highway and along the St. Lucie
River — has been nothing but positive.
“Throughout the past several years, the Stuart Boat Show
has experienced growth spurts in both participating exhibitors
and attendees alike,” Allen says. “The city continues to
grow in popularity and population, which helps support our
continued growth of the show. >>