Southampton International Boat Show 2023 - What to expect

The show is sailing back into Southampton for its 54th year, bringing with it a host of exhibitions and activities.

Running from September 15 to 24, visitors can enjoy water sports, entertainment, and plenty of boats.

Lesley Robinson, CEO of British Marine, which organises the show, said people can expect lots of new things.

She is keen to keep the show ‘fresh and exciting’ as it continues in Southampton.

Lesley said: “It’s the UK’s biggest boating festival, and there are lots of new things this year.

“We really want this show to be a really great opportunity for people to come to the show, get onto the water, and have a great day out.

“We are going to try and get even more people out on the water.

“Jump on a RIB, a paddleboard, a boat - just come to the show and get out there.

“We got 14,000 people on the water last year and we want to beat that this year.

“We are trying to make it a really good day out.”

A beach in a boat show

Something Lesley is particularly excited about bringing to Southampton is the city’s ‘only beach’.

Brand new to the show, the Beach Haven and Watersports Lake will offer even more opportunity for people to get out on the water.

READ MORE: All the vessels attendees can see on the water at the Southampton Boat Show 2023

Lesley described it as a ‘fantastic area’ where people can jump on a kayak, a paddleboard and try model boating.

The purpose-built beach will be kitted out with all the necessities you can imagine, from sun loungers and deckchairs to an ice cream van.

What else can I expect?

Elsewhere, the Shipyard area will boast a ‘festival vibe’ for those keen to soak up the atmosphere with live music and street food.

Evening cruises on the show’s very own ship will be offered and will take guests across the Solent for free, 20-minute journeys.

Celebrity guest appearances can also be expected, with star of Below Deck, an American reality series, Captain Sandy visiting the show.

Captain Sandy will be offering VIP meet and greet experiences on September 21 and 24.

But perhaps the star of the show is the guest appearance from the Red Arrows which will soar above the show on the opening Saturday.

A Spitfire will also flypast on the opening day.

More information about what’s on offer this year can be found on the Southampton International Boat Show website.

‘More boats than ever’

With more boats than ever set to arrive at the show this year, Lesley is expecting good visitor numbers.

She said: “We always talk to our visitors after the show, so we listen to feedback.

“We want to keep the show fresh and exciting.

“We sadly did not open one day last year following the Queen’s passing, so we had 83,000 people over nine days.

“Normally, for 10 days we have 100,000 people and that is what we’re expecting this year.

“It means a great deal to keep bringing the show to Southampton.

“The show means a lot to the community here, and an independent economic assessment in 2019 revealed the show brings a GVA (gross value added) of £25m, so it has an economic benefit as well.”