PRESS RELEASES & PHOTOS

St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show Back in Town from Thursday to Sunday

Gulf Coast’s Premier Shows Offers Best Boating Buys, Free Admission for Kids & Military

What:  The Gulf Coast’s premier boat show cruises into downtown St. Pete from Thursday, Dec. 3 to Sunday, Dec. 6 at the Progress Energy Center Mahaffey Theater & Albert Whitted Park at 400 First St. South. This two-in-one show offers spectacular sales on both power boats and sailboats.

Open to the public, this marine marketplace is a once-a-year extravaganza that delivers the best deals from boating’s biggest brands. More than ever this year, the deals and discounts will be better than ever, giving boaters and sailors their best opportunity to affordably bring home their dream boat. In a beautiful waterfront marina setting, power boaters and sailors alike will find hundreds of affordable options—including luxury cruisers and yachts, sports fishing boats, trawlers and sailboats, including cruisers, catamarans and daysailors.

Check Out The Biggest Brand Names—These power boat and sailboat manufacturers are on display: Apreamare, Azimut,  Back Cove, Beneteau, Boston Whaler, Cabo, Carver, Catalina, Century, Chris-Craft, Cruisers, Eastern, Edgewater,  Endeavor, Fantasy Yachts, Flying Scot, Formula, Hatteras, Hunter, Intrepid, Island Packet, J Boat, Lagoon, Larson, Luhrs, Mainship, Marquis, Meridian, MJM, Monterey, Navigator, Norseboat, Ocean, Outer Reef,  Pacific-Trawlers, Peer Gynt, Performance Cruising, Prestige, Presto, Pursuit, Regal, Renegade, Sabreline,          Sea Cat, Sea Ray, Seaward, Sun Odyssey, Tiara, True North, Viking, Young and more.

Where:  Progress Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater & Albert Whitted Park,

              400 First St. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Free Show Admission Specials:

FREE ADMISSION FOR KIDS 15 AND UNDER ALL FOUR DAYS OF SHOW.

FREE SALUTE THE MILITARY! ADMISSION FOR ACTIVE DUTY AND RETIRED MILITARY WITH ID ALL FOUR DAYS OF SHOW.

What’s New and Fun To Do For Families and Friends:

·       FREE “HOOK THE FUTURE” KIDS’ FISHING CLINICS with Capt. Don Dingman, professional angler and host of the “Hook the Future” TV show. Families are encouraged to arrive early Sat., Dec. 5 and Sunday, Dec. 6 for 10 a.m. registration for these fun-filled fishing clinics that are held each day at noon and 2 p.m. Participating kids take home a free rod and reel while supplies last.

·       FREE SAILBOAT YACHT RIDES ON THE BAY as part of the Discover Sailing Program. Enjoy sailboat rides with family and friends on a beautiful sailing yacht with an experienced skipper in this national introduction-to-sailing program.

·       FREE ENTERTAINING SEMINARS DAILY will give show-goers fascinating insights into the cruising lifestyle, plus knowledge for navigating safely at sea in cool air-conditioned seminar tents. Best-selling authors and magazine columnists, marine weather experts and adventurous world cruisers headline this year’s exciting seminar program produced by Sail America, the trade association for the sailing industry. Check full seminar schedule at www.showmanagement.com.

·       FREE “ST PETE CRUISER’S PARTY”SATURDAY NIGHT, DEC 5 – This popular drinks-and-pizza  party presented by the fun-loving crew at Latitudes & Attitudes gets rocking Saturday night, Dec. 5,  with The Eric Stone Band, the number one rated band by Seafaring Radio. For entrance into the St Pete Cruiser’s Party, attendees need to be inside the boat show by 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec 5th. 

Discover Great Holiday Shopping in Cool Comfort:

·      TWO MARINE ACCESSORIES TENTS with unique gifts and gadgets for the boater or sailor in your life. Browse in air-conditioned comfort among booths with nautical gear, equipment, apparel, engines, electronics, jewelry, eyewear and marine services, charters, vacation destination. Find gifts you won’t find elsewhere to surprise and delight the boater or sailor in your life this holiday season.

·      Celebrate in relaxing style at The World Famous Floating Cocktail Barge—sip a cool drink of wine, soda, cocktails or Budweiser, the show’s official beer, and enjoy the beautiful waterfront views at this favorite dockside watering hole.

AT  A GLANCE:

St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show-Dec. 3-6, 2009

Who:   Public Invited

            Produced by Show Management, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

            Endorsed by Sail America, Middleton, RI

Where: Progress Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater & Albert Whitted Park

             400 First St. South

             St. Petersburg, FL  33701

When:  Thursday, Dec. 3 – Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009

Times:            Thursday: 12 noon to 6 p.m.

                      Friday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

                        Saturday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

                     Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ticket Prices:            

            $8 for each adult purchased in advance online; $10 for each adult at the gate

            FREE “Experience Kids” admission-Kids 15 and under are FREE.

            FREE “Salute to Military!” Admission-Active Duty or Retired Military are FREE with ID.

Parking: Available onsite, or local boaters are invited to cruise on over to the “Come by Boat” docks located on  the north side of the show, near the fountain. Boaters are reminded to please bring their own lines and fenders.

Consumer Information:

             Website: www.showmanagement.com

             e-mail: jzub@showmanagement.com

             Telephone: 1-800-940-7642

Media Information:

For further show information or to request media credentials required for show coverage, please contact: Susan O’Reilly at 407-375-9138 or at oreillypr@gmail.com. During show hours, please contact O’Reilly at 407-375-9138.