Set sail at the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show
Get geared up for the sailing season at the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, where you will find dozens of sailboats on display and more than 100 exhibitors in total. This year’s show has a renewed emphasis on getting new people into sailing with programming for both kids and adults, so share this with a friend who’s curious about sailing and come to the show together. We’ll see you there.
Show Details
Dates: April 26-28
Times: Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: City Dock, Annapolis
Parking: You can reserve parking in downtown Annapolis parking garages using the ParkMobile app. Free street parking is available in Eastport, just across Spa Creek and a short walk to the show.
Tickets: Price is $18 for general admission with advanced online purchase at annapolisboatshows.com; children ages 14 and under are free. Tickets onsite cost $20. For military personnel, online advance tickets price is $11.25; price at the gate is $15—valid ID must be presented at entry.
VIP Tickets: $85, includes show admission and exclusive access to the VIP room in Latitude 38 Restaurant with food and wine and cocktail tastings (must be age 21 years or older). Valid for one day only.
For safety, please leave pets at home and park strollers in the ‘stroller park’ at the gate. The seminar schedule, show map, class registration links, and more details can be found at annapolisboatshows.com
Show Highlights
Explore the boats: Here you will find exciting racing dinghies, practical daysailers, comfortable cruisers, plenty of multihulls, and even electric yacht tenders. Boat lengths range from 11 to 60 feet.
The No Wake Zone: An outdoor lounge area with live music by Annapolis sailor and musician Shawn Owen. In the tasting area guests 21 and older can sample Maryland-made spirits and wine. On Saturday, Shanks Golf Apparel will put on a fashion show of women’s sports outfits.
The VIP Experience: For show-goers ages 21 and older the VIP Lounge in Latitude 38 has delicious food and wine and cocktail tastings throughout the day.
Sailboat charters: Meet representatives from charter companies, speak with tourism boards, and learn about fractional ownership of a sailboat. Another great resource: SpinSheet’s Charter Directory.
Youth Sailing Panel Discussion: Moderated by SpinSheet staff, this session will touch on all the essentials that families need to know to get their youngsters sailing. Join us Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the seminar tent.
Sailing Now Alumni Meetup: SpinSheet will host a meetup for the sailors it has interviewed over the past 10 years as part of our Start Sailing Now campaign. Show-goers who are at the show as it opens on Sunday morning are invited to join our editors and these sailors (made identifiable by their Start Sailing Now badges) at our booth.
Pride of Baltimore II: The impressive 157- foot tallship and her crew will welcome show-goers to climb aboard and explore.
Meet Team SpinSheet! Our team will be located at Tent C16—come by and say hello and grab the latest issues of SpinSheet, PropTalk, FishTalk, and Portbook. We love meeting our readers!
Educational opportunities
Master Diesel Maintenance is a three-day, hands-on course covering how diesel engines work and how they should be maintained. Soldout, but contact Annapolis Boat Shows to add your name to the waitlist. April 24-26.
Offshore Emergency Medicine Class: A three-day, interactive course. Soldout, so plan now for the fall edition.
First Sail Workshop: Learn the basics and experience the joy of sailing in a 45-minute classroom session followed by 90 minutes on the water aboard a Beneteau First 22. This workshop is offered multiple times each day but is already sold out on Saturday, April 27.
USCG Auxiliary Sailboat Safety Class: This two-hour family-friendly course is soldout.
Free Daily Seminars: No pre-registration necessary. On Friday, Coboaters founder Phil Perut will present on How to Sail More Even if You Don’t Own a Boat. Other sessions cover
- How To Become a Great Crewmember on a Raceboat
- Line Handling and Safe Docking
- VHF Etiquette
- Women’s Round Table on Racing
- Rules of the Road
- How to Get More Time on the Water, Even if You Don't Own a Boat
- Weekends on the Chesapeake
- Living the Dream on a Tallship
- Essential Knots and How To Tie Them (hands-on)
- How To Teach Sailing
- Keeping the Sailing Adventure Fun and Safe
- Stories That Inform Best Practices and Approaching Risk on the Water
Explore Annapolis
Annapolis is historic, charming, and very walkable, so take time to explore. Here you will find cozy coffee shops, excellent restaurants, live music venues, the U.S. Naval Academy and Maryland State House, and a great view of the sunset while standing on the Spa Creek Bridge. To plan your visit, check out visitannapolis.org.
For a fun, easy way to explore the sailing capital of America, try the one-hour, self-guided walking audio tour “Annapolis Highlights: Sailing Through History” on the TravelStorys mobile app. As you approach each story site on the tour, the audio triggers automatically, sharing the fascinating stories of this historic town.
After the Show: SpinSheet's Crew Party
Whether you are looking for crew for your boat or are looking for a boat to sail on, join us to connect with other Chesapeake Bay sailors on Sunday, April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Eastport Yacht Club. All are welcome, and we will have live steel drum music by the Geckos. The party is free to enter but plan for a cash bar. Find more details and register here for a BOGO offer code for tickets to the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show.
