Built on Connections.

Surf Expo is more than a trade show — it’s a meeting place for brands, retailers, and industry leaders who understand that relationships fuel growth.

The energy that has defined Surf Expo since 1976 is returning September 16-18, 2026. As we continue our 50‑year celebration, we are looking ahead — building what’s next, together.

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Shoreline Outdoor at Surf Expo

This expanding category showcases essentials and apparel for adventures along rivers, lakes, and coasts—offering a curated space for brands that naturally flow between coastal and outdoor lifestyles.

Shoreline Outdoor connects retailers with brands that serve water-inspired lifestyles—creating meaningful partnerships and fresh opportunities.

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Discover. Connect. Grow.

Beyond the energy and inspiration, Surf Expo is where real connections spark. Retailers get to meet the brands shaping tomorrow, and exhibitors grow their reach with the buyers who matter most.

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The Marketplace for Opportunity

Surf Expo is the must-attend event to discover opportunities across multiple categories including Surf, Swim, Resort, Boutique, Gift & Decor, Souvenir and Shoreline Outdoor.

This is where brands and retailers from coast to coast and around the globe gather to connect, discover and get business done.

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About the Show

Produced in January and September at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, Surf Expo features wholesale apparel, accessories and hard good brands showcasing the latest innovations and must-have products in watersports, resort, boutique and coastal outdoor lifestyle. Plus, a full lineup of events, from fashion shows and learning labs to industry parties, networking events and more.

Why Attend?

Successful retailers know that to keep customers coming back, they need to create a compelling merchandise mix to engage watersports and outdoor lifestyle consumers as well as resort and beach vacationers. Surf Expo has everything buyers need to cater to customers looking for the newest trends in lifestyle apparel and coastal or outdoor adventures.

Why Exhibit?

Surf Expo is the largest and longest running watersports, resort and coastal outdoor lifestyle tradeshow in the world. This business-focused marketplace attracts qualified buyers purchasing for thousands of storefronts from across the globe to offer vast opportunities to grow brands and businesses. More than 80% of our buyers write orders at Surf Expo.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Name: Surf Expo January 2027
Start: 2027-01-06
End: 2027-01-08
Location: Orange County Convention Center

SEPTEMBER 16-18, 2026

Each September, Surf Expo returns to Orlando, Florida with a high-energy gathering of the Watersports, Coastal and Outdoor Lifestyle brands and retailers. The show floor features leading and newly emerging brands across surf, resort, swim, boutique, footwear, outdoor lifestyle and coastal gift & souvenir. Known for driving fourth-quarter buying and product discovery, the September show is a key destination for retailers looking to stay ahead of consumer demand and category trends.

Show Days & Hours:

Wednesday & Thursday 9am – 6pm
Friday 9am – 4pm

January 6-8, 2027

Each January, Surf Expo kicks off the year in Orlando, Florida featuring a broad mix of floor categories, connecting buyers with top brands in surf, resort, swim, boutique, footwear, coastal gift & souvenir and outdoor lifestyle. It’s also home to the highly anticipated annual Florida Shape Off, honoring the craft and creativity of surfboard shaping. With a strong focus on seasonal buying and early trend discovery, the January show offers a vibrant marketplace where business gets done.

Show Days & Hours:

Wednesday & Thursday 9am – 6pm
Friday 9am – 4pm

SHOW NEWS

Surf Expo Ignites 50th Year with Vibrant Energy and Record Industry Engagement

Orlando, FL — January 15, 2026 — Surf Expo kicked off its landmark 50th year with an electrifying January show, unequivocally reaffirming its dominance as the premier global marketplace for the watersports, coastal, and shoreline outdoor lifestyle industries. With a 15% increase in attending retail companies, the event pulsed with palpable energy as leading brands and retail buyers converged for three days of commerce, signaling a thriving market fueled by ongoing innovation and strong consumer demand. […]

Shop Eat Surf Outdoor Photos and Report from Surf Expo January

By Tiffany Montgomery Surf Expo wrapped a busy show on Friday with lots of brand and retailer meetings, busy aisles on the surf side of the show, an Industry Party at Topgolf sponsored by Shopify, and other brand activations, such as the Katin dinner for top specialty retailers on Wednesday night and the New Wave […]

OluKai Premieres We Go: Path to The Eddie Season 2 at Surf Expo Featuring Special Guest & Eddie Champion Luke Shepardson

OluKai will debut the second season of its original film series We Go: Path to The Eddie at Surf Expo, offering an intimate look at the athletes chasing an invitation to surfing’s most revered event. WHAT: OluKai will premiere We Go: Path to The Eddie — Season 2 at Surf Expo, an intimate look into […]

Surf Expo Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation and Expands Shoreline Outdoor Category

Celebrating five decades of coastal culture while embracing water-driven outdoor lifestyles. ORLANDO, FL – November 4, 2025 – Surf Expo, the leading marketplace for watersports, coastal, and outdoor lifestyle brands, proudly celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026. Since 1976, Surf Expo has served as the go-to destination for trend-setting product launches, industry connections, and business growth. This […]

Steko Gets Loud at Surf Expo

By Tiffany Montgomery, Shop Eat Surf Outdoor. A young brand at Surf Expo stood out on the show floor for a few reasons – the brash, long, and baggy boardshorts, shorts, and big boxy T’s it was showing; the loud rap music it blared; and the anti-authority aura that emanated from the booth. Steko, owned by […]

Surf Expo September Delivers Strong Attendance, Expanding Categories, and Industry Optimism

Orlando, FL – September 12, 2025 – Surf Expo wrapped its September edition with strong momentum, delivering a high energy, business-first event and showcasing the continued strength and evolution of the surf, watersports, and coastal lifestyle markets. Retailers from 66 countries attended the show, connecting with a powerful mix of heritage brands, emerging newcomers, and […]

"Surf Expo opened the door to new buyers, markets, and vendors who were not only professional but genuinely interested in collaborating. The connections I made and the exposure my business gained exceeded all expectations."

Shad Ayoub, Founder & CEO of Sand Caddie

“Consumers today are looking for unique and new products. Surf Expo allowed us to locate some interesting finds to bring some freshness into our store so we can give our shoppers a reason to keep coming back!”

Steve Green, Owner, High Mountain Sports

Oakland, MD

"Surf Expo was jam-packed with booth after booth of eye-candy. Our buyers probably could have spent two weeks there listening, learning, and discovering new products and brands.”

Tim Mckevlin, Buyer, Folly Beach, SC

“Surf Expo is more important than ever! It gives you the chance to touch & feel the product, and to have real HUMAN connection with REAL PEOPLE, nothing beats face to face!”

Frank Floyd, Owner, Wind and Wave Watersports

Corpus Christi, TX

“I’m in the Theme and Water Park business - certainly not a traditional beach or Surf Shop and I’ve been going to Surf Expo for more than 20 years. It’s evolved, as the retail environment has evolved. Our business is better because of Surf Expo."

Jason Weatherford, Buyer, Palace Entertainment, Homestead, PA

“We are huge fans of Surf Expo.  The way they bring the best retailers and the best brands together continues to foster incredible industry partnerships and connectivity.  The show has and will continue to be a key piece of the Salty Crew seasonal calendar.”

Jason Shelton, Salty Crew General Manager

"This was our first year exhibiting at Surf Expo and we had an awesome time connecting with new retailers, hanging out with our friends, and sharing how we can help brands grow with custom apparel."

Alex Nowlin, CEO at Uscape Apparel

“I have been to Surf Expo multiple times. I used the connect tool in the Surf Expo app and I highly suggest everyone to use it.”

Wendi Kaplan, KatyDID

FEATURED BRANDS

… and many more! See the current list of exhibitors here >

FEATURED BRANDS

FOLLOW US @surfexpo

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Surf Expo (@surfexpo) • Instagram photos and videos

UPCOMING EVENTS

SEPTEMBER 16-18, 2026

January 6-8, 2027

SHOW NEWS

"Surf Expo opened the door to new buyers, markets, and vendors who were not only professional but genuinely interested in collaborating. The connections I made and the exposure my business gained exceeded all expectations."

Shad Ayoub, Founder & CEO of Sand Caddie

“Consumers today are looking for unique and new products. Surf Expo allowed us to locate some interesting finds to bring some freshness into our store so we can give our shoppers a reason to keep coming back!”

Steve Green, Owner, High Mountain Sports

Oakland, MD

"Surf Expo was jam-packed with booth after booth of eye-candy. Our buyers probably could have spent two weeks there listening, learning, and discovering new products and brands.”

Tim Mckevlin, Buyer, Folly Beach, SC

“Surf Expo is more important than ever! It gives you the chance to touch & feel the product, and to have real HUMAN connection with REAL PEOPLE, nothing beats face to face!”

Frank Floyd, Owner, Wind and Wave Watersports

Corpus Christi, TX

“I’m in the Theme and Water Park business - certainly not a traditional beach or Surf Shop and I’ve been going to Surf Expo for more than 20 years. It’s evolved, as the retail environment has evolved. Our business is better because of Surf Expo."

Jason Weatherford, Buyer, Palace Entertainment, Homestead, PA

“We are huge fans of Surf Expo. The way they bring the best retailers and the best brands together continues to foster incredible industry partnerships and connectivity. The show has and will continue to be a key piece of the Salty Crew seasonal calendar.”

Jason Shelton, Salty Crew General Manager

"This was our first year exhibiting at Surf Expo and we had an awesome time connecting with new retailers, hanging out with our friends, and sharing how we can help brands grow with custom apparel."

Alex Nowlin, CEO at Uscape Apparel

“I have been to Surf Expo multiple times. I used the connect tool in the Surf Expo app and I highly suggest everyone to use it.”

Wendi Kaplan, KatyDID

FEATURED BRANDS

… and many more! See the current list of exhibitors here >

FEATURED BRANDS

FOLLOW US @surfexpo

“We are huge fans of Surf Expo.  The way they bring the best retailers and the best brands together continues to foster incredible industry partnerships and connectivity.  The show has and will continue to be a key piece of the Salty Crew seasonal calendar.”