This week’s winter weather may have you longing for summer. For those of us dreaming of warmer weather, the Progressive Cleveland Boat Show kicks off Thursday. And here in Ohio, boating is big business.
- Progressive Cleveland Boat Show runs Friday-Monday at the I-X Center
- Tickets are $14
“Not only just the sale of boats, but all the tourism around boats," explained Michelle Burke, president of the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association. "When you think of all the different areas, marinas, restaurants, employment for people who work in that industry, so it’s huge.”
The Lake Erie Foundation estimates recreational boating's economic impact in the Buckeye State clocks in at $3.5 billion.
And for many of the estimated 500,000 Ohio families who own boats, one of the major weekends circled on their calendars is the Progressive Cleveland Boat Show.
For more than 60 years, the event has given visitors a chance to check out new items and take part in some water-related attractions.
And it’s not just boats, either.
“As soon as you walk in the doors of the show you’ll see paddle boards and kayaks as one of the first ways to introduce people to the water," said Burke. "We also have the different jetskis, we have pontoon boats, we have powerboats, outboards, inboards, small boats, big boats.”
This year, the show features several themed days, along with a day full of children's activities on Monday.
Tickets begin at $14 for adults. Kids ages 12 and under get in free. The event runs through Monday at Cleveland’s IX Center.