Five days, six venues, 100,000 people and 1,300 boats. The boats are why everyone turns up. The parties are where the business actually gets done.
The 67th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show runs 28 October to 1 November 2026. This is the full social map of the week — what has a date, what doesn’t yet, and who reliably throws a party whether they have announced it or not.
Every signup, ticket and RSVP link is on this page, next to the event it belongs to. Where a host hasn’t opened registration yet, we link the page where their announcement will appear, so you can get in early rather than find out after it filled.
This is a living list. Most boat show parties go public two to three weeks out and a good number never go public at all. We update this page as they land.
Dated and confirmed
| Event | Date | Where | Sign up |
|---|---|---|---|
| IYBA Charter Seminar & Open House | Tue 6 Oct | 801 Seabreeze Blvd (Bahia Mar) | Register |
| ISS Design & Leadership Awards Gala | Wed 28 Oct | Broward Center for the Performing Arts | $570 — book |
| SeaKeepers Founders Event | Thu 29 Oct | The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale | Tickets & tables |
| My Yacht Club superyacht reception | 28 Oct – 1 Nov | Private superyacht near the show | Request an invite |
| Windward VIP Club & new Cabana Club | 28 Oct – 1 Nov | Hall of Fame Marina + Bahia Mar | $459/day |
Opening night: the ISS Design & Leadership Awards Gala
The International Superyacht Society holds its Design & Leadership Awards Gala on the opening night of the show — the industry’s black-tie evening, honouring the year’s naval architects, interior designers, builders, captains and crew.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Date | Wednesday 28 October 2026 |
| Venue | Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW 5th Ave, Fort Lauderdale |
| Reception | 6:30pm – 7:45pm |
| Awards | 8:00pm |
| After-party dinner | 9:30pm – 11:30pm, open bar and culinary stations |
| Individual ticket | $570.27 ($550 + $20.27 fee) |
| Dress code | Black tie, “inspired by the colors of the sea” — seafoam, turquoise, sapphire, navy |
Individual tickets include open seating at the after-party dinner. Table pricing is arranged directly with ISS. Reservations are here.
Worth knowing: this is off-site. The Broward Center is downtown on the New River, not at any of the six show venues — so build the taxi into your evening rather than assuming you can walk from the Convention Center.
ISS also runs an Annual Member’s Breakfast at Lauderdale Yacht Club. The date has not been published yet; we will add it when it is.
Thursday: the SeaKeepers Founders Event
The other black-tie fixture of the week, and the one people actually fly in for. The International SeaKeepers Society holds its Founders Event on Thursday 29 October 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale — a charity gala honouring people doing ocean research and conservation, and recognising the vessels in SeaKeepers’ DISCOVERY Fleet that carry scientists to sea.
The 2026 honourees are already named: Christina Lötter as SeaKeeper of the Year, marine conservation scientist Dr. Shelby Thomas as NextGen Awardee, and painter Sandra H. Camper as Artist of the Year. This year’s programme leans on manta ray surveys, shark research and coral reef monitoring.
Tickets and sponsorship tables are here. There is a Ritz-Carlton room block at group rates for anyone who does not fancy the drive home.
New for 2026: the Windward VIP Cabana Club
The biggest change to the show’s own social map this year. Windward VIP now has two homes instead of one:
- Windward VIP Club — Hall of Fame Marina, in a newly expanded space. Premium open bar, gourmet food, luxury pop-up activations, private restrooms.
- Windward VIP Cabana Club — new this year, at Bahia Mar Marina between Docks C and D, with cabanas and the Goslings Island Bar.
The catering has been upgraded too: this year’s Windward experience features Chef Ryan O’Sullivan of Hell’s Kitchen and Chef David White of Below Deck.
Windward VIP is $459 for a single day, valid Wednesday through Sunday. It includes an hour of early access to the Superyacht Village before general admission, and complimentary self-parking.
Whether that is worth roughly nine times a $48 day pass depends entirely on whether you came to look at boats or to meet people. If you are reading a page about boat show parties, you already know which one you are.
The floating pickleball court
Yes, really. Las Olas Marina gets a floating pickleball court this year, with tournament play for yacht crew. It is the most Fort Lauderdale sentence anyone has written this month, and it is a genuinely good reason to be at Las Olas in the afternoon rather than queuing for a flybridge.
Pier Sixty-Six, reimagined
Pier Sixty-Six North has been transformed for 2026 and now carries brokerage vessels over 100 feet. Pier Sixty-Six South is the Superyacht Village — the largest boats at the show, and where the evening gravitates once the light goes.
If you hold Windward VIP, your early-access hour is spent here. If you don’t, it is still the best place on the whole show to be at golden hour, and it costs nothing extra.
The invitation-only end
My Yacht Club runs a reception aboard a private superyacht moored near the show, across the 28 October to 1 November window — fine food and wines, champagne, a quayside cigar lounge and entertainment. It is invitation only and aimed at owners and the South Florida social set. You request an invitation through My Yacht Group rather than buying a ticket.
Who throws a party every year
Most of boat show week never makes an official schedule. The same companies throw the same parties every October, and the dates land two to three weeks out. Here is the recurring list, with the page to watch for each one — worth bookmarking now, because the good ones fill before they are announced anywhere public.
| Host | The party | Usually | Where to sign up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yacht Chandlers | Captains & Crew Party, themed, at DAER Nightclub inside the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood. 2025 was “Monster Mash”, 8–11pm. 2022 was an ’80s night with rooftop dancing. They have also run a fundraising party at their own office. | Friday of show week, evening | Crew only, wristband. Watch their Facebook page. |
| National Marine Suppliers | Yacht Bikers Poker Run — 17 editions and counting, around 500 riders, Alligator Alley Harley-Davidson to Quantum Marine Stabilizers. It has raised $61,000–$73,000 a year for Task Force Dagger and USSOCOM families. This is the big one, and almost nobody outside the trade knows it exists. | A Saturday roughly ten days before the show. 2025 ran 18 October, 8:30am start. | Public and ticketed on Eventbrite. Watch the Poker Run page. |
| Safe Harbor Lauderdale Marine Center | Haunted Yacht Party. 2025 was “Shipwrecked”, 6–10pm at 1601 SW 20th St. | Thursday of show week | RSVP form, about two weeks out. Watch @safeharborlmc. |
| Bradford Marine | Captain & Crew Party in the outdoor crew lounge at 3051 W State Road 84 — food truck, beer and wine, yard games, and the easiest room in town to actually talk in. | Runs more than once a year; one lands in show season | RSVP through Bradford Marine. |
| The Wharf Fort Lauderdale | Captains & Crew Appreciation Party. 2025 ran 6:30–10:30pm. | Thursday of show week | Eventbrite ticket, released two weeks out. |
| Bluewater | The Oasis Lounge — a free crew lounge with snacks and refreshments, at the Superyacht Village and the Swimming Hall of Fame, 11am–5pm. | Daytime, all week | No signup. Open to any superyacht captain or crew — walk in. |
| BOAT International | Captains’ Club cocktail event on the Pier Sixty-Six docks. | Thursday evening | Captains and event sponsors only. |
| Ardell | Captains Cocktail Party — one of the longest-running evenings on the calendar. | Show week | Yacht captains, by invitation. |
| Gateway Insurance & Super Yacht Logistics | Marine Industry Happy Hour at Bimini Boatyard Bar & Grill. | Show week | Open — no list, just turn up. |
| US Superyacht Association | Class vs. Flag at Bahia Mar, Commodore Ballroom. 2025 ran 4–6pm. | Wednesday | Open. Register at ussuperyacht.com. |
| Professional Women in Yachting | Floral Class for a Cause at Pier Sixty-Six Marina, plus the yacht fashion-show fundraisers they co-run with the show. | Thursday midday | RSVP, capped — book the day it opens. |
| MARE Forum | Super Yacht Americas at the Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Marina — the serious daytime one. | Wednesday, 8:30am–3pm | Register at mareforum.com. |
| Fort Lauderdale Mariner’s Club | Annual golf tournament. | Show week | Registration opens ahead of the show. |
Confirmed for the show. Party date still to come.
These are the companies that will be at FLIBS 2026 and reliably host something during the week — a client evening, a dock reception, a crew night — but have not put a date on it yet. Each link goes to the page where their announcement and signup will actually appear, so you can check rather than wait.
Brokerages
None of these sell tickets. They are relationship-gated: you get in through a broker you already deal with, or you don’t get in. Worth asking now rather than the week of.
| House | What to expect | Where it will be announced |
|---|---|---|
| Denison Yachting | Fort Lauderdale’s biggest homegrown brokerage. Runs client evenings and broker open houses through the year, including at Rybovich. | Boat show calendar |
| IYC | Has publicly committed to “a selection of exclusive events and curated activations alongside our esteemed partners” for 2026 — details promised, not yet given. | IYC FLIBS page |
| Northrop & Johnson | Large charter and sales fleet on the docks; hosts clients through the week. | N&J FLIBS page |
| Burgess | Superyacht end of the market, Pier Sixty-Six South. | Burgess FLIBS page |
| Fraser | Publishes a running events diary across the season. | Fraser events |
| Worth Avenue Yachts | Palm Beach house with a full FLIBS presence. | Worth Avenue FLIBS page |
| Galati Yachts | Publishes a “Know Before You Go” guide each year and hosts at its display. | Galati FLIBS page |
| Ocean Independence | European house with a standing Fort Lauderdale presence. | OI FLIBS page |
| Atlantic Yacht & Ship | Has historically kept its own public FLIBS parties list. | AYS events page |
| HMY Yachts | Big Florida dealer network, client events at its display. | hmy.com |
Yards, marinas and suppliers
| Company | What to expect | Where it will be announced |
|---|---|---|
| Roscioli Yachting Center | State Road 84 yard; hosts crew and industry gatherings. | |
| Derecktor | Refit yard with a long FLIBS-week habit of hosting. | @derecktorshipyards |
| Ward’s Marine Electric | Fort Lauderdale institution since 1950; industry gatherings around show week. | wardsmarine.com |
| Brownie’s Marine Group | Dive and water-toy supplier with a show presence. | browniesmarinegroup.com |
| Quantum Marine Stabilizers | Hosts the finish line of the Yacht Bikers Poker Run at its facility. | quantumstabilizers.com |
| Viking Crew | Crew agency; sponsors and co-hosts crew nights. | Viking Crew FLIBS page |
Associations and industry bodies
| Body | What to expect | Where it will be announced |
|---|---|---|
| MIASF (Marine Industries Association of South Florida) | The show’s owner. Has run a FLIBS Kickoff Party and an Exhibitor Party in past years, plus a marine job fair. | MIASF events |
| IYBA (International Yacht Brokers Association) | Charter Seminar & Open House already dated for 6 October at Bahia Mar; typically adds show-week networking. | IYBA calendar |
| Marine Industry Cares Foundation | Industry charity that fundraises around the show. | marineindustrycares.org |
| US Superyacht Association | Class vs. Flag plus member networking. | ussuperyacht.com |
The single best trick: The Triton prints a daily issue on the docks through show week, and that day’s parties are in it. Pick one up in the morning and you will know more about the evening than most of the people at the show.
Where the industry actually drinks
Between two parties, or when there isn’t one, boat show week has its own regular rooms. No list, no wristband, no broker required:
- Coconuts — on the water just north of the Hall of Fame Marina. The default.
- Boatyard — 17th Street, walkable from the Superyacht Village.
- Mystic Lobster and Waxy’s Irish Pub — also 17th Street, also full of crew all week.
- Sushi Rock — Las Olas Boulevard.
- Elbo Room — the beach end of Las Olas, and the least pretentious room in the city.
Also on during the week
- Seminars and culinary programming run through the week at the Broward County Convention Center, alongside the indoor exhibitor floor.
- The MRH Innovation & Sustainability Award programme recognises companies doing environmentally responsible work — worth catching if you cover the industry.
Getting between them
The logistics that run the daytime show run the night as well.
- Park once at the Broward County Convention Center — $20 flat per day, more than 3,000 spaces.
- Complimentary shuttles and golf carts connect all six venues, included with entry.
- Water taxi at $15 per day through WaterTaxi.com/FLIBS. On a show shaped like this one the water is usually the faster route, and it is a considerably better arrival than a car park.
- Three exceptions are off the water entirely — the ISS gala downtown, the SeaKeepers gala at the Ritz-Carlton, and the Yacht Chandlers party at DAER, which is 25 minutes inland in Hollywood. Nobody walks back from that last one.
And the rule that catches people out every year: there is no onsite box office. Every show ticket is bought online, in advance. Our full FLIBS 2026 guide has prices, hours and the venue-by-venue breakdown.
How we keep this current
We re-check every page linked above in mid-October, when the 2026 dates land, and again the week before the show. The 2026 dates still outstanding are the Yacht Bikers Poker Run, the Yacht Chandlers crew party, the Safe Harbor Halloween party, the MIASF kickoff and exhibitor parties, and every brokerage reception on this page.
Hosting something and want it listed? Tell us and we will put it on the page — free, and usually the same day.
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Last updated 22 September 2026. Prices and times are as published by the organisers at that date — confirm before you book. Citywide.TV covers business, technology, marine and music across South Florida and the Mid-Atlantic.