FLIBS 2026 Goes Beyond the Docks With Floating Pickleball, Helicopter Shuttles and a New VIP Cabana Club

Fort Lauderdale’s docks fill up every autumn, and for five days the city becomes the center of the yachting world. The 67th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show returns October 28 through November 1, 2026, and this year the organizers have put as much thought into what happens off the boats as on them: a floating pickleball court, a relocated VIP cabana club, helicopter arrivals and waterfront dining led by two television chefs.

Spread across six show locations, FLIBS is the world’s largest in-water boat show, drawing boating enthusiasts, industry professionals and visitors from around the globe. “FLIBS is known around the world for the incredible vessels it brings to Fort Lauderdale, but the experience extends well beyond the docks,” says Phil Purcell, CEO and president of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida, which owns the show.

The most talked-about addition is likely to be the floating pickleball court moored at Las Olas Marina. It brings one of the country’s fastest-growing sports to the waterfront, complete with a dedicated tournament for yacht crew members sponsored by One Sotheby’s International Realty.

For those who would rather watch from the shade, the Windward VIP Experience returns with two waterfront destinations. At Superyacht Village, the Windward VIP Lounge, presented by Pier Sixty-Six, offers a premium open bar, gourmet food, private restrooms, complimentary self-parking and one-hour early access through the Superyacht Village entrance. New this year, the Windward VIP Cabana Club, in partnership with Visit Lauderdale, has moved to Bahia Mar Marina as a more intimate, cabana-style retreat overlooking the water. Both locations will feature cooking from Chef Ryan O’Sullivan of Hell’s Kitchen and Chef Dave White of Below Deck and Chopped.

Elsewhere on the docks, the Goslings Island Bar returns to its spot on the water between Docks C and D at Bahia Mar, pouring tropical cocktails from the show’s official rum, while The Vessel Miami, a floating event lounge and catamaran, gives guests a place to unwind and take in the show from the water itself.

Getting there has a new option, too. A helicopter shuttle will connect Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport directly to Pier Sixty-Six by way of a temporary on-site landing platform. Once at the show, guests can book 10-minute private helicopter tours over the city’s beaches, waterways and yachts for up to five passengers at a show rate of $600 per flight, and Wave Helicopters’ new air-conditioned Robinson R44 will be on display.

The boats remain the main event, with more than 50 debuts expected. Among the headline superyachts are Oceanco’s 305-foot Draak, transformed into a research and exploration companion to Leviathan with a dedicated dive center and hyperbaric chamber; Feadship’s 223-foot Lady Christine, with a cruising range of roughly 7,600 nautical miles; and Hakvoort’s 209-foot ice-class explorer Scout. Debuts include the Pearl 100 Hybrid, the first Pearl Yachts model with hybrid propulsion, four world premieres from Viking Yacht Company and Valhalla Boatworks, and U.S. debuts for the Prestige M8 EVO and the Absolute Navetta 66. An independent panel will judge the debuting vessels for the FOX Sports Best of Show competition, crowning winners over and under 60 feet in a one-hour FOX Sports television special.

The Broward County Convention Center carries the family programming: The Blue Wild’s hands-on exhibits on fishing, diving and the marine environment, the FLIBS Kids Corner for crafts and face painting, and Don Dingman’s “Hook the Future” fishing clinics on Saturday and Sunday at noon and 2 p.m., where children learn the fundamentals and take home a complimentary rod and reel. Complimentary seminars run throughout the five days, covering boating safety, navigation, knot tying, boat handling and cruising to The Bahamas.

At Superyacht Village, the conversation turns to the industry itself, with a talk by yacht owner John Staluppi, a panel on the evolving American charter market and a presentation on how superyachts can support ocean science and coral restoration. Visitors can also get a first look at Refit X, a new conference and expo for the yacht repair and refit industry debuting in 2027, through preview sessions at the Yacht Builders Tent at Bahia Mar.

“Each year, we look for new ways to enhance the experience for our attendees while bringing back the attractions they look forward to,” says Andrew Doole, president of U.S. Boat Shows at Informa Markets. “As the show continues to evolve, we’re focused on creating an experience that keeps pace with what our visitors want to see and do.”

Tickets are sold exclusively online at flibs.com; there is no box office on site. The Broward County Convention Center serves as the show’s transportation hub, with more than 3,000 parking spaces at a flat $20 per day and complimentary shuttles and golf carts to Bahia Mar and Superyacht Village. Brightline runs express rail service to Fort Lauderdale, and Water Taxi passes are $15 per day at WaterTaxi.com/FLIBS.

Haute Living is a proud media partner of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. For more of Haute Living’s yachting coverage, see Hanover Yachts Is Coming to FLIBS 2026.