Tulsa Boat Sport and Travel Show Celebrating Milestone Anniversary
The 2006 Tulsa Boat Sport and Travel Show is celebrating 50 years in January, according to event organizers.
Presented by Mercury MerCruiser, the show will be held at Expo Center on the Tulsa Fairgrounds, Jan. 30 through Feb. 5.
“We are going all out this year to celebrate our 50th anniversary,” said Phil Keeter, president of the show. “Visitors will enjoy better quality exhibits and seminars, more promotions, incredible value and the most fun of any show yet.”
Among a variety of promotions offered to visitors is the opportunity to sign up to win an 18-foot Sea Ray Sport Boat and trailer valued at $20,000, courtesy of Sea Ray, Port Arrowhead and Mercury MerCruiser.
VIP Night is Monday, Jan. 30. Attendees can preview the show, while sampling Tulsa’s best food, courtesy of approximately 30 area restaurants. New to VIP Night is the addition of several Oklahoma wineries that will offer visitors complimentary wine tastings.
Tuesday, Jan. 31, is Ladies Day, and includes the first annual Boat Show Fashion Show, emceed by the Tulsa World’s Fashion Reporter, Jason Ashley Wright. This nautical inspired event will highlight the boating lifestyle through a collection of spring clothing and accessories. Attendees may also be eligible to receive courtesy gift bags.
Headlining Thursday, Feb. 2, is a complimentary concert by the Red Dirt Rangers from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., thanks to participating sponsor Lowrance Electronics. Additional activities throughout “Lowrance Day” include the kick off of a three-day indoor fishing tournament, and autograph sessions and seminars by two of the country’s leading pro anglers, Shaw Grigsby, Jr., and Edwin Evers.
Improvements for this year also include a new event logo and anniversary tagline, “Floating your boat for 50 years.”
The show’s seminar series is undergoing a makeover as well and will feature a host of new experts and topics. Among those scheduled to appear are some of the country’s leading fishing pros, including Tommy Biffle, Jeff Kriet and Jeff Reynolds, and pro wakeboard rider Nick Weinacker, who will discuss the sport and sign autographs on Sat., Feb. 4.
The Tulsa Boat Sport and Travel Show is among the nation’s top events of its kind, besting the likes of Los Angeles, Houston and New York in both attendance and square footage, according to Keeter. The Marine Retailers Association of America ranks the Tulsa show in the top ten in the nation for attendance and the Consumer Travel Agency ranks it as the overall fifth best show in the U.S. It is also the largest single and longest running event held in Tulsa, with the exception of the State Fair.
Show hours are Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 9 p.m.; Friday, noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission price is $8 for adults and $4 for children ages six through 15. Discount coupons for $2 off on Tues., Wed. and Thurs. will be available at all area Arby’s restaurants. Children five and under are admitted free. Monday is VIP Night and hours are 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and tickets cost $20 or $10 with a VIP invitation available from exhibitors and sponsors.
The “Official Tow Truck” of the show is United Ford and Hummer, and the “Official Hotel” is Radisson Hotel Tulsa. The show’s official program is provided by HydroHoist Boat Lifts.
For more information, go to www.tulsaboatshow.com or call (918) 58-BOATS.
Updated 01-26-2006
READER COMMENTS
