The Show Returns October 28– November 1
The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show — FLIBS — runs from Wednesday, October 28 to Sunday, November 1, 2026. It is the largest in-water boat show in the world, and for anyone buying or selling on the East Coast it remains the single most efficient week of the year: hundreds of boats in the water, in one place, at the same time.
Show week fills Fort Lauderdale quickly. If you are planning to go, the two things worth settling early are where you will stay and which boats you actually want to see.
Book Accommodation Before It Tightens
The show's official hotel provider is onPeak, and booking through them is the simplest way to get a room at a sensible rate during show week. Their programme covers hotels across Fort Lauderdale, out towards the airport and the cruise port, and includes:
- Negotiated show-week rates
- No booking fees
- Flexible change and cancellation policies
- A spread of locations, from walking distance to the show to quieter stays further out
Rates and availability move as the show approaches, so the earlier you book, the more choice you have. Rooms nearest the show site are always the first to go.
Decide What You Want to See
A boat show rewards a plan. Five days sounds like plenty until you are standing on Face Dock working out which end to start from. Before you go, it is worth being clear on the length range you are shopping, whether you are looking at sail or power, and which two or three boats you genuinely want to spend an hour aboard rather than walk through.
That is where a broker earns their keep. Tell us what you are after and we can tell you what is worth your time — and what is not, which is usually the more useful half of the conversation.
Talk to a Massey broker about the show
Thinking of Selling Before the Season?
Show week sets the tone for the winter season, and buyers who walk the docks in Fort Lauderdale in November are the same buyers looking at listings through the winter. If you are considering selling, the months either side of the show are a good time to have a realistic conversation about what your boat is worth.