Hartford Boat Show Attendance Up Ten Percent

The Connecticut Marine Trades Association (CMTA) has reported that the 50^th Hartford Boat Show saw a 10 percent increase in attendance over last year’s event. The show was held January 17 to 20 at its new location, the Mohegan Sun’s Earth Expo Center. Each of the show’s first days recorded double digit percentage jumps in attendance over 2018, although a winter storm kept numbers down on the final day.

A Golden Celebration was held for members and exhibitors the evening before the show’s opening to commemorate 50 years of CMTA’s involvement with the Hartford Boat Show. At that celebration, David Crocker of Crocker’s Boatyard was presented the CMTA’s highest honor, the Jeanne Czel Person of the Year award recognizing his decade’s worth of service to the show, the association and his community.  Also at the celebration, three exhibitors received “50 Years Strong” awards celebrating their 50^th appearance in the Hartford Boat Show beginning in 1970: Petzold’s Marine Center of Portland, Capital Equipment in Manchester and Boat’s Inc. from Niantic.

The show’s Best in Booth Displays and Best Boat Displays were awarded by CMTA to exhibiting companies. The judging was done by an independent representative of the show’s advertising agency who spent two days walking the show and assessing each and every booth. The first place for Best Boat Display went to Boat’s Inc. with second place awarded to Brookfield Bay. The first place Best Booth Display was won by Harbor Hill Inn & Marina, and second place was won by Blackhall Outfitters.