CLEVELAND — Cleveland native Jack Tibbitts has been boating his entire life and has attended the Cleveland Boat Show for years.

“I mean there's no bigger dream than going boating for me. I don't know what it is. Every extra dollar I've ever had usually goes to boating or guests for boating or life jackets or the different accessories. And the Boat Show kind of ties all those dreams together,” Tibbitts said.

But this year’s Boat Show and Fishing Expo is a little different for Tibbitts and other boating enthusiasts.

“We basically refuse to cancel the show. So we've developed this very interesting and integrated hybrid model. It's not a virtual boat show. It is a true hybrid experience,” said Burke.

But that news isn’t stopping Tibbitts from attending.

“Being able to still do it this year and with all the difficulty going on that we're facing pretty much every day is very exciting. I just love looking at the new boats that are coming out,” Tibbitts said.  

The 2021 Boat Show features recorded and live seminars with experts and in-person experiences at participating dealerships.

“People should be so excited about attending because they don't have to pay. It's free. No parking. No overpriced beer. No admission fee. It's all free to our customers. And again, I think people will be shocked at the wealth of content that is really at their fingertips on the site. It's incredible,” Burke said.

It's not the same as being in person, but organizers are trying to make the show as interactive as possible.

“We're going to have Boat Show TV. We'll be traveling around to various dealerships on the weekend and broadcasting for two hours where we will be doing live boat walk-throughs, giveaways, and also interviews with certain people throughout the entire experience. Our customers can text us. So when we're live on TV, they can pick up their phone once they register, if they put their cell phone and they get a text from me, they can ask us a question,” Burke said.

In-person or virtual, Tibbitts said, the Boat Show gets him excited for summer.

“Being able to do any of it. Dreaming about it, like at least doing it from home is a thousand times better than doing nothing. So, it for me is like, you start thinking more and the holidays are done. It's time to start dreaming about getting out on the water. I think there's only 14 weekends to go,” Tibbitts said.

The Progressive Cleveland Boat Show and Fishing Expo started Friday, Jan. 15, and runs through next Sunday, Jan. 24.

To register, click here to visit the Progressive Cleveland Boat Show and Fishing Expo website.