Total attendance at the 2026 Seattle Boat Show (January 30 – February 7) at Lumen Field Event Center and Bell Harbor Marina was 33,199.
Attendance at Lumen Field Event Center totaled 32,521, representing a 15.5% increase over 2025 and a 3.3% increase over the three-year average. Bell Harbor Marina welcomed 6,902 attendees, a 12.7% increase over 2025, though 10.0% below the three-year average.
As always, NMTA tracks attendance carefully. These figures reflect redeemed tickets only and do not include exhibitors.
As the premier boat show on the West Coast, the Seattle Boat Show continues to attract boaters and buyers from across the country, showing the strength of Pacific Northwest boating. This year, online tickets were sold in 45 states, missing only Alabama, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
New promotions such as After Dark, expanded food and beverage offerings, and creative ticket packages added fresh energy and excitement to the overall show experience.
“Attendance is just one of many metrics we use to measure show performance,” said NMTA President George Harris. “The most important metric, of course, is the sales and leads generated for our members and their overall return on investment. Next month, we’re looking forward to reviewing the results of our attendee exit surveys and our new Net Promoter Score.”
At a Glance: Social Media Efforts Continue to Drive Interest
Over the past several years, we’ve strategically elevated our social media efforts in response to evolving audience behavior and rapidly changing media consumption trends. As consumers increasingly engage on mobile and social platforms, we’ve invested in a more sophisticated, data-informed digital strategy designed to meet our audiences where they are. By integrating paid campaigns, high-impact organic content, targeted promotions, and partner amplification, we’ve focused on maximizing reach, increasing frequency, and driving meaningful engagement that translates into measurable results.This year, the impact of that strategy is clear:
- We generated 6.25 million total
- impressions across Facebook and Instagram — a 42% year-over-year increase — reaching approximately 1.05 million people.
- Our audience grew to 20.3K followers, adding more than 1,050 new followers during the campaign.
- The #SBS26HAWKS promotion alone produced 32,000 incremental impressions, extending visibility beyond our owned channels and further amplifying the show’s exposure.
These results reflect sustained investment, sharper targeting, and a more integrated digital approach, positioning us strongly as we continue adapting to how audiences discover, evaluate, and engage with our event.