The best boat show in America is hosted annually in St. Pete, and it’s back this January. Taking over St. Pete’s downtown waterfront, the 48th annual St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show Presented by Progressive returns January 15-18, and tickets to the must-see event are on sale now.
The spectacle on land and water is hosted at Duke Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater Yacht Basin and Albert Whitted Park, providing an incredible weekend full of beautiful powerboats and sailboats, engaging seminars, boat training courses, kids fishing lessons and much more. In addition to the excitement on the water, the showcase on land is a 40,000 sq. ft. tent housing an extensive selection of marine equipment and accessories.
General admission tickets for the boat show are $24 for adults, while kids 15 and under are free. Hours for the show are 10 am – 6 pm Thursday through Saturday, and 10 am – 4 pm on Sunday. Veterans and active duty service members can receive free admission in advance if they sign up. There is no box office on site, so all tickets must be purchased in advance online. This year’s event all supports Tampa Bay Watch, a vital local nonprofit protecting our beautiful waterways.
The ultimate power and sailboat show in America
2026 marks the 48th edition of the St. Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show Presented by Progressive, which set attendance records last year as it continues its run as the largest boat show on the Gulf Coast. In fact, USA Today’s 10 Best Editors recognized its uniqueness by nominating it as one of the best shows of its kind in America. After a month of voting from readers, it was named the best in the country – an accolade the city is quite proud of.
Both new and brokerage boats will be on display, with something for every marine enthusiast to check out. Whether you’re looking for a center console fishing boat, a yacht, a sailboat, or a kayak, you’ll find it here, along with their comprehensive selection of marine gear and accessories.
But there’s plenty more than boat displays. The Annapolis School of Seamanship will present an engaging lineup of complimentary seminars at the show, with everything from how to get your captain’s license to chartering boats in the Caribbean. For the young ones, local broadcaster and veteran sea captain, Don Dingman, will present “Hook the Future” a free fishing clinic for families taking place twice daily on Saturday and Sunday…