Fort Lauderdale Boat Show 2026: Know Before You Go

FLIBS 2026 runs Oct 28, Nov 1. Dates, hours, tickets, the show sites, parking and water taxis, plus a Fort Lauderdale broker's advice on seeing the boats that matter.

The 67th Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show opens on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, and runs through Sunday, November 1. It is the biggest week of the year on the Fort Lauderdale waterfront: last year the show drew more than 100,000 visitors to over 1,300 boats, spread across nearly 90 acres of docks and exhibit halls.

We're a Fort Lauderdale brokerage, and we walk the show with our clients every year. This guide covers the practical side, when to go, what it costs, how to get between the sites, and what we've learned about using the show to find the right boat, or to sell one.

At a glance

Dates: Wednesday, October 28, Sunday, November 1, 2026
Hours: Wednesday noon, 7 p.m.; Thursday, Saturday 10 a.m. . 7 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. , 5 p.m.
Tickets: online only, from $48 for a one-day adult ticket
Where: six waterfront sites between Las Olas Boulevard and Port Everglades
Getting around: free shuttles and golf carts, plus show water taxis
Official site: flibs.com

When is the 2026 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show?

Day	Date	Hours
Wednesday (Preview Day)	October 28	12 p.m. , 7 p.m.
Thursday	October 29	10 a.m. , 7 p.m.
Friday	October 30	10 a.m. , 7 p.m.
Saturday	October 31	10 a.m. , 7 p.m.
Sunday	November 1	10 a.m. , 5 p.m.

Windward VIP ticket holders get in an hour before everyone else each day.

How much are tickets, and where do you buy them?

Tickets are sold online only. There is no box office at the show, all sales are final, and the show runs rain or shine. Buy them through the official ticket link on flibs.com.

At the time of writing, 2026 prices are:

One-day adult (Thursday, Sunday): $48
Two-day adult (Thursday, Sunday): $80
Preview Day (good for any one day, Wednesday included): $73
Two-day Preview plus general admission: $105
Child, one day (ages 6 to 12): $19. Under 6 is free with a ticketed adult.
Windward VIP (one day): $459. It includes lounges at Superyacht Village and Bahia Mar with food and premium drinks, early entry, free self-parking at Superyacht Village, a water taxi between the two, and private restrooms.

Active-duty military and veterans get one day of general admission free. Register in advance, or bring a military ID to the show.

Where is the show? The six sites

FLIBS isn't one venue. The 2026 show maps list six sites, and the boats on your list may well be at different ones.

Bahia Mar Yachting Center, 801 Seabreeze Blvd. The heart of the show: everything from center consoles to superyachts, plus electronics and accessories.
Las Olas Marina, 240 E. Las Olas Circle. Brokerage yachts from 60 to 200 feet.
Hall of Fame Marina, 435 Seabreeze Blvd. Brokerage and new-build yachts.
Superyacht Village at Pier Sixty-Six South, 2150 SE 17th St. The largest yachts at the show.
Pier Sixty-Six Marina, 2301 SE 17th St. Brokerage yachts over 100 feet.
Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd. Boats up to 50 feet, marine gear, electronics, free seminars, and the show's transportation hub.

If you are shopping pre-owned, Las Olas Marina, Hall of Fame Marina and Pier Sixty-Six are where most of the brokerage yachts are. If it's a new boat you're after, most builders are at Bahia Mar and the Convention Center.

Parking, shuttles and water taxis

Park at the Convention Center. It has more than 3,000 spaces at a flat $20 a day, and the shuttle loops start there. Other city garages take the PayByPhone app.
Free shuttles run from an hour before opening until an hour after closing, linking the Convention Center, Bahia Mar, Superyacht Village, the Brightline station and the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas. Golf carts run between Superyacht Village and Bahia Mar.
Show water taxis cost $15 for a day or $65 for all five days, and are free for children under 5. They link Bahia Mar with the Convention Center, Pier Sixty-Six North, the Riverside Hotel and the DoubleTree GALLERYone, and Shooters Waterfront with Las Olas Marina. It's the most pleasant way to move between sites, and often the quickest.
You can't arrive by your own boat. There is no visitor docking at the show.

Traffic on A1A and Seabreeze Boulevard is heavy all week. If you're staying on the beach or on Las Olas, the water taxi or the shuttle beats driving.

What's new in 2026

A floating pickleball court at Las Olas Marina, with a tournament for yacht crew.
The Windward VIP Cabana Club moves to Bahia Mar.
Guest chefs from Hell's Kitchen and Below Deck.
Returning for families: the Hook the Future kids' fishing clinics on Saturday and Sunday at noon and 2 p.m., each with a free rod and reel, and free seminars at the Convention Center from Thursday to Sunday.

Rules worth knowing before you go

Bags of any size are allowed, but every bag is searched at the gate.
No firearms, drones, bicycles, scooters or skateboards, and no pets, only ADA service animals.
There is nowhere to leave bags or strollers.
Wear shoes that slip on and off easily. You'll take them off to go aboard most boats.
Whether you can board a particular boat is up to its exhibitor or listing broker.

What to wear

Late October in Fort Lauderdale is summer by most people's standards. NOAA's long-term averages put the October high at about 85°F and November's at about 81°F, and October is one of the wetter months, so expect a passing shower at some point in the week. Dress light, bring sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat, and plan on walking several miles of dock. Hurricane season officially runs until November 30, so check the forecast the week before you travel.

A broker's advice: how to see the boats that matter

With more than 1,300 boats on show, the risk isn't missing a boat. It's spending the day on the wrong ones. This is what we tell our clients.

Make the shortlist before the show. Settle on size, budget and the two or three types of boat you would actually live with, then search the current listings so you know which boats are at the show and where.
Arrange viewings on the bigger boats. Larger brokerage yachts are shown by their listing brokers, and the good ones are busy all week. A broker can set times in advance, so you get a proper look rather than a wait on the dock.
Go twice if you can. Weekdays are generally quieter than the weekend, which makes them the better days for serious viewing. Come back for a second look at the two or three boats that stayed with you.
Compare like with like. The show is the one place where you can walk from one 60-footer to the next in minutes. Photograph the helm, the engine-room access and the owner's stateroom on each. By the end of the day they blur together.
Don't let the show rush you. An offer made at the show should be subject to survey and sea trial, exactly as it would be in any other week. Our marine survey guide explains what that protects.

Are boats cheaper at the boat show?

Sometimes, if you're buying new: builders and dealers often bring show-only incentives, and it is worth asking exactly what is included. Brokerage boats are different. They are priced by their owners, and the show doesn't change what a well-priced yacht is worth. What the show gives a buyer is comparison. Nowhere else can you see this many boats in a week, and that is the best protection there is against overpaying. If you're weighing up finance, our guide to financing a yacht is a good place to start.

Selling? The show still matters

Boat-show week brings more serious buyers to Fort Lauderdale than any other week of the year. If you're thinking of selling, a yacht that is listed, photographed and ready to show before the show opens is in front of those buyers, even if she isn't on a show dock. Talk to us about selling, or ask for a free valuation.

Walk the show with an Aspire broker

Our brokers will be at the show all week, walking the docks with clients. Tell us what you're looking for and we'll build your shortlist, arrange the viewings and walk the show with you. Then help with the offer, survey, sea trial and closing when you find the one.

Coming from out of town? Our FLIBS 2026 visitor guide covers where to stay, where to eat and how to get around.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show in 2026?

Wednesday, October 28 to Sunday, November 1, 2026. Wednesday is Preview Day, from noon to 7 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Can I buy FLIBS tickets at the gate?

No. Tickets are sold online only, through the official ticket link on flibs.com, and there is no box office at the show.

Where should I park for the boat show?

The Broward County Convention Center, at 1950 Eisenhower Blvd., has more than 3,000 spaces at $20 a day and is the hub for the free shuttles to the other show sites.

Is the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show the largest in the world?

It bills itself as the world's largest in-water boat show. In 2025 it drew more than 100,000 visitors and over 1,300 boats, with exhibitors from more than 50 countries.

Can I bring my dog to the boat show?

No. Only ADA service animals are allowed at the show.

Do I need a broker to go aboard the yachts?

Not always. Many exhibitors welcome visitors aboard. But boarding is at the discretion of the exhibitor or the listing broker, and on larger brokerage yachts a broker can arrange a proper viewing in advance.

Sources: flibs.com for dates, hours, show sites, parking, shuttles, water taxis, VIP details and show rules; Boating Industry (August 2026) for 2026 ticket prices and what's new; the Marine Industries Association of South Florida for the 2025 show figures; NOAA climate normals for weather. Details can change, so check flibs.com before you go.