While the anticipation of 2020 coming to a close had many folks looking forward to the end of COVID-19, the truth is that the “social distancing” pandemic requirements are still in place and the show cancellations continue into 2021. Following the first January in more than a decade without New York Boat Show, a Garden State Outdoor Sports Show and Fly Fishing Show to kick off the winter show season, things still aren’t shaping up very well for February events.
Back in the fall the Jersey Shore Surfcasters officially announced that Surf Day 2021 was cancelled but will return again in 2022. Then on December 9, the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey (MTA/NJ) announced that due to the increasing spread of COVID-19 and the current restrictions throughout the state, the New Jersey Boat Sale & Expo held annually at the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center in Edison must be postponed until 2022.
“We have been fully committed to delivering a successful show this February but unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to move forward at this time,” MTA/NJ said in an official announcement. A great event for boat buyers over the past 10 years, the New Jersey Boat Sale & Expo also regularly features a full lineup of fishing seminars presented by The Fisherman Magazine and the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA).
Regrettably, our full lineup of seminars will also have to wait until 2022 to return to Oaks, PA as the Philadelphia Fishing Show slated for February 19-21 has also been postponed. The second annual “Philly Fishing Show” in 2020 was a huge event which featured over 40 different freshwater and saltwater seminars presented by The Fisherman making it one of the largest regional fishing events heading into year three. Show organizer Dave DeGennaro said he’s already working on the 2022 event in Oaks, PA and expects the ’22 event to be huge.
As of the first of the year, organizers at the Saltwater Fishing Expo and Atlantic City Boat Show have not yet made their final decision as to the status of the winter shows. According to Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and presenter of the Atlantic City Boat Show, the Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show is proceeding as scheduled for February 24-28, 2021, with the option to delay the show to early April 2021.
“The health and safety of everyone involved in producing, exhibiting, and attending our shows is of the utmost importance,” Hugelmeyer said in an official statement this past fall. “Following a thorough market-by-market analysis regarding the feasibility of producing safe and successful NMMA winter boat and sport shows in 2021, we are making significant modifications to our show schedule in the first quarter of 2021.”
Check the status of the Atlantic City Boat Show at ACBoatShow.com, and the Saltwater Fishing Expo (slated for March 19-21) at SportShows.com.
Keep in mind that many of the local fishing flea markets and expos are also either in a “wait and see” phase at this point or have made tentative plans to postpone events until later in 2021. Be sure to check back at TheFisherman.com for late-breaking show news and information.
