CHICAGO — On June 12-14, 2026, Informa Markets’ South Florida Ventures launched the Windy City Boat & Yacht Show at Burnham Harbor.
The event featured more than 100 vessels, including powerboats, yachts, sailboats and brokerage vessels, and shoreside exhibits showcasing the latest marine technology, safety gear, accessories and boating essentials. More than 70 exhibiting brands and companies participated.
“The Windy City Boat & Yacht Show creates a new platform for the boating industry in one of the country’s most important freshwater boating markets,” Larry Berryman, Director of Windy City Boat & Yacht Show, said.
According to Informa Markets, the show provides:
- A direct connection between consumers and boating brands.
- An opportunity for attendees to step aboard a wide variety of boats in an in-water setting.
- Educational experiences through programs like Cruisers Classroom and Start Sailing Now, the latter of which was completely sold out.
- Family-friendly activities that help introduce new audiences to boating.
- A waterfront event that celebrates boating as a lifestyle and recreational activity.
“Every market is unique, and Chicago presented a different set of opportunities and challenges than some of our more established events,” Andrew Doole, President of U.S. Boat Shows for Informa Markets, said. “Unlike many of our larger shows that have decades of history, we were introducing an entirely new event to the market. That meant building awareness from the ground up, establishing relationships with local stakeholders and creating a show experience that reflected Chicago’s boating culture.
“The waterfront setting at Burnham Harbor also created a distinctive atmosphere. Attendees were able to experience boats in their natural environment against the backdrop of the Chicago skyline, which gave the show a character unlike any other event in our portfolio.”
Planning an Exceptional Experience
Berryman explained that Chicago is one of the largest boating markets in the United States, with a strong boating culture, access to Lake Michigan and a large concentration of boat owners and prospective boat buyers.
“We saw an opportunity to create a modern, in-water boat show experience that would connect consumers directly with boats, brands and the boating lifestyle in a way that felt authentic to the Chicago waterfront,” Berryman said.
Informa Markets worked closely with manufacturers, dealers, marina operators, industry stakeholders and local partners to evaluate market demand: Feedback consistently showed interest in an accessible summer boat show experience in downtown Chicago, particularly one that showcased boats in the water and offered hands-on educational opportunities for both experienced boaters and newcomers.
The show’s planning began more than a year out and its team focused on three primary goals: creating a strong exhibitor lineup, building partnerships within the local boating community and delivering an exceptional attendee experience.
They collaborated with Suntex Marinas, Chicago Harbors, the Chicago Park District, Choose Chicago, exhibitors, sponsors and industry organizations to design a show that felt uniquely Chicago.
“From site planning and marina logistics to marketing campaigns and educational programming, every element was developed with the attendee journey in mind,” Doole added.
Related. Informa Markets Launches the Windy City Boat & Yacht Show in Chicago
Building awareness was one of the team’s highest priorities.
“Unlike many B2B trade shows where the audience is well-defined and industry-driven, the Windy City Boat & Yacht Show required us to generate broad consumer awareness and excitement across the Chicago market,” Berryman said. “Our goal was not only to drive attendance for year one, but also to establish the Windy City Boat & Yacht Show as a new annual tradition on Chicago’s waterfront.”
The organizers went “all-in” on marketing, leveraging paid digital and broadcast advertising, public relations, social media, influencer partnerships, local media, tourism organizations and community outreach to introduce the event to both active boaters and people who may be new to the boating lifestyle.
Also, strong support from local partners, particularly Choose Chicago, helped introduce the inaugural event to residents and visitors, and reinforced the show’s connection to Chicago’s tourism and waterfront communities.
A Strong Start — Even as the Windy City Lives up to its Name
As the show was preparing for launch, inclement weather swept through Chicago.
Informa Markets worked closely with venue partners, contractors, exhibitors and local authorities to assess conditions and make informed decisions, adjusting the Friday opening time to create time for additional site preparation and ensure a safe environment.
“Clear communication was critical,” Doole said. “We proactively informed exhibitors, attendees, partners and media of the schedule adjustment through email, social media, website updates and direct outreach. The extra preparation time allowed teams to complete final setup safely, and we were fortunate to welcome attendees under excellent weather conditions for the remainder of the weekend.”
As the show took place, attendees appreciated the intimate waterfront setting and ability to connect directly with exhibitors.
“We were encouraged by the level of engagement throughout the weekend, particularly for a first-year event. Attendees spent meaningful time on the docks, participating in educational programming and interacting with exhibitors,” Berryman said. “Launching a new boat show takes a tremendous amount of collaboration, and we are grateful to everyone who helped make the inaugural Windy City Boat & Yacht Show a success.”
Doole added that while this was a first-year event for Chicago, it was built on the experience of Informa Markets’ South Florida Ventures team, which produces some of North America’s leading boat shows.
“That expertise, combined with the support of our exhibitors, partners and local stakeholders, helped us bring a new boating event to one of the country’s premier boating markets,” Doole said. “We would like to extend a special thank you to Choose Chicago, Chicago Harbors, Suntex Marinas, the Chicago Park District, our sponsors, exhibitors and the many organizations that supported the show from the beginning. Their partnership played an important role in helping us introduce the event to the city and welcome attendees to the Chicago waterfront. The enthusiasm we saw throughout the weekend gives us great confidence in the future of this event, and we look forward to building on that momentum in the years ahead.”
With positive feedback from exhibitors and attendees, Informa is already planning for 2027 and building on the momentum of a successful inaugural year: The company is planning to grow the Windy City Boat & Yacht Show into the largest in-water boating event on the Great Lakes.
Video Credit: PMC Media Group
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