On January 10, 2024, my husband and I attended the Discover Boating, Beach Club, Opening Night VIP Party at The Chicago Boat Show at McCormick Place. We have been going to the Boat Show for years. It was a lot of fun to attend the inaugural VIP Party. We had such a good time at the party, we did not get to see much of the show.
We went back later that weekend with our children and family friends to enjoy the show more.
The VIP party included the boat show, appetizers, drinks, DJ, a few speakers, and socializing with fellow Chicago Harbor boat owners over common interests. We really enjoyed meeting new people that share our love of the water. Proceeds of the VIP party go toward benefiting the Alliance for the Great Lakes. We had a great time and would love to go again next year.
There were a few speakers addressing topics on taking care of our Great Lakes by keeping them clean and garbage free. One of the speakers started out by asking listeners, “Who drinks water?” This line obviously grabbed everyone’s attention, as we raised our hands. They then proceeded to reinforce what a gift we have in our Great Lakes.
The show, of course, had many power boats to see, as well as a plethora of vendors. We bought some life jackets, visited with our harbor master, and visited many other booths. They had clothing vendors, insurance companies, and boat rental and boat share groups to name a few.
Our kids enjoyed the show, too. Their favorite part were the bumper boats. They were able to drive the small boats through a pool of water.
The show is an excellent show for potential buyers, but even if you are not interested in buying a boat this year, it is an excellent show for those looking for accessories, ideas, or just to talk with those sharing a common interest.
The boat show ran from Wednesday, January 10, through Sunday, January 14, 2024 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL and is coming back next year.
