The Richmond Boat Show Brings Virginia’s Boating Market Into Focus

Richmond, VA

The Richmond Boat Show returns to the Richmond Convention Center from January 23–25, continuing its role as one of Virginia’s major indoor boat exhibitions. With an expanded 175,000-square-foot layout for this year, the show brings together over 200 boats from more than 25 regional dealers, offering one of the most concentrated looks at the state’s recreational boating market ahead of the spring season.

The scale of the exhibition reflects Richmond’s position as a crossroads for boating in central Virginia, drawing buyers from along the James River corridor as well as surrounding lake and coastal markets. Inside the convention center, visitors encounter a wide range of vessels designed for different types of use, from fishing boats, pontoons, and ski and wake boats to larger cruisers and offshore-capable models. 

For dealers and manufacturers, the Richmond Boat Show serves as an early-season launch point. New model-year inventory, updated layouts, and mid-cycle redesigns often appear here before the broader boating season begins. For buyers, the late January timing aligns with early planning and ordering windows, when both selection and seasonal incentives tend to be strongest.

Beyond the boats themselves, the show also includes marine electronics, navigation systems, engines, safety equipment, trailers, lifts, and service providers focused on ownership logistics. 

The show runs Friday, January 23 from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday, January 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, January 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ticket and attendance information is available through the official show site at DowntownRichmondBoatShow.com, with complimentary admission offered for children under 16.