The Wilmington Boat Show has been discontinued. 

Jacqueline McGuinness, the founder and president of JBM & Associates, the firm that organized the show, said the decision was made several months ago due to ongoing weather-related disruptions and limited exhibit space. 

"It was quite a hard decision, but, you know, we could see that it wasn't going to be possible with the lack of space,” McGuinness said. 

The Wilmington Boat Show was launched in 2016 and took place at downtown Wilmington’s Port City Marina and the Wilmington Convention Center. McGuinness said the Port City Marina, which hosts its own boat show and is hosting an event this weekend, was unable to renew its five-year contract with the Wilmington Boat Show. 

Without the marina, the boat show was limited to the Wilmington Convention Center and the surrounding streets. 

"We could see that it wasn't going to be possible with the lack of space. The Convention Center is too small for a big boat show,” McGuinness said.

"We've just really, really struggled with ending it, but honestly, it was the only way, given the fact that the marina was really the main part of the show for so many years for us,” she added.

McGuinness said the decision to wind down the boat show was made several months ago, giving the firm time to inform boat dealers and exhibitors.

The Wilmington Boat Show drew thousands of attendees and hundreds of exhibitors each year since its start in 2016. McGuinness estimates that in its first years, between 7,000 and 8,000 attendees came out for the event.

McGuinness said Wilmington was a strong market for the event, retaining more than 100 exhibitors each year, though hurricane season continually impacted the show. 

“I think we had four hurricanes within nine years,” McGuinness said. “And we couldn’t move the date.” 

In addition to weather disruptions, McGuinness cited ongoing construction challenges and logistical coordination.

Greenville-based firm JBM & Associates continues to host several other events, including the Charleston Boat Show, the Columbia Boat Show and the Savannah Boat Show. The firm also hosts Everything Outdoor Fest, a nonprofit event hosted annually in South Carolina. 

The Port City Marina Boat Show, slated for this weekend, is one of the largest in-water boat shows in the Carolinas, according to its website, and will feature 12 dealers showcasing over 60 boats. Admission is free.